Things are about to get dotty at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art.
From October 14, 2022, through September 7, 2024, visitors to SFMOMA will be able to experience Yayoi Kusama: Infinite Love. The exhibition will be comprised of two of Kusama’s signature infinity rooms, including a brand new one: Dreaming of Earth’s Sphericity, I Would Offer My Love (2023). This will be the artist’s first solo show in Northern California.
Kusama, now 96, has been a darling of the contemporary art world for several decades. Born in Matsumoto, Japan, she moved to New York City and was an integral part of the pop art scene—she even became fast friends with Andy Warhol (well … frenemies). She’s perhaps best known for her popular Infinity Mirror Rooms, during which viewers practically have out-of-body experiences through the use the use of lights and mirrors.
Dreaming of Earth’s Sphericity, I Would Offer My Love (2023) initially debuted at David Zwirner in New York City earlier this year—it’s composed of round-colored windows that let in natural and artificial light through the lenses of a dizzying array of red, blue, yellow, and green dots. The second infinity room, Love is Calling (2013) is one of the artist’s largest works and features a darkened room that’s lit only by the light of colorful inflatable forms hanging from the ceiling. On a background track, Kusama can be heard reciting a poem about love. In addition to the two rooms, Infinite Love will also include a large Kusama pumpkin sculpture, Aspiring to Pumpkin’s Love, the Love in My Heart (2023).
Kusama’s shows have a tendency to sell out quickly, so interested museum goers should take care to book their tickets far in advance. And be advised: Museumgoers are allowed to step inside each infinity room once per visit, for one minute.
Yayoi Kusama is sometimes called the “princess of polka dots.”
Courtesy of Yayoi Kusama, Ota Fine Arts, Victoria Miro, and David Zwirner
How to plan your visit to “Yayoi Kusama: Infinite Love”
SFMOMA members can currently access free tickets to Yayoi Kusama: Infinite Love through the museum’s website, and general admission tickets will be made available on September 12. Admission starts at $30 for adults, $25 for seniors, and $23 for young adults (people aged 19–24), while visitors 18 years old and younger can access the show for free. Reservations are required since viewing times are based on timed-entry slots.
If you’re planning a trip to San Francisco around this exhibit, Hotel Zetta and the Fairmont San Francisco both offer accommodations close to SFMOMA. Hotel Zetta, which is peppered with modern details like a chandelier fashioned from recycled sunglass lenses and a front desk made from reclaimed wood, is a 10-minute walk from SFMOMA. The Fairmont San Francisco is a little less than a half-an-hour walk from the museum and is well-known for its iconic Beaux Arts-style architecture.
