Yayoi Kusama: Manhattan Suicide Addict

Manhattan Suicide Addict

This video shows Yayoi Kusama singing one of her own songs, where she talks about mental illness and her life and how she see's herself.

I liked this video because it is different and it shows how unique an artist Kusama is.

I tried to recreate the scenes through using an OHP. When i projected the images onto the wall, it was okay but when i pointed it towards the mirror it reflected on all the surfaces around me.

Photoshop experiment

For part of my Art AS i have been working on Photoshop using photos from iconic models and designers and inspiring artists. The contrast between the repetition of the dots, the bright colour's and the models creates an image that emphasizes the impact of both mediums. Early in my sketchbook i use oil pastels to create the effect made by Photoshop, by hand and i wanted to experiment with doing it digitally. 

In this image i use a model from the Prada SS14 show and one of Kusama's iconic dots paintings - and i cut out the skirt of the model which merges the picture even more. 

In this one i use a model from the Alexander Wang SS14 show and one of Kusama's dot paintings, and i inverted the colour's to emphasize the print of the model. 

Through this experiment i have learnt another function of the repetition of dots - it emphasizes appearance, as one dot is normal but lots of them creates an effect that draws attention to itself and whatever accompanies it.

Saatchi Gallery

The Saatchi Gallery exhibits contemporary art and was opened in 1985 by Charles Saatchi. The gallery is free admission and in Chelsea, on Kings Road. Their previous exhibitions include Hugo Boss: Red Never Follows and Chanel: The Little Black Jacket. Currently they have 'Paper',' New Order: British Art Today' and 'Richard Wilson 20:50'.

Here are some of my favourite pieces from the gallery: 

Yayoi Kusuma: Obsession Infinita

Aged 84 (Born in 1929) Japanese artist Yayoi Kusuma is one of my favourite artists. Conservative parents and a life in business planned out for her, she rebelled and studied for a year at the Kyoto School of Arts & Crafts in 1948. She says she's experienced hallucinations since her early years (9) and she simply just paints what she sees.

When moving to New York in 1957, despite warnings from artist Georgia O'Keefe that it would be tough for a 'single Japanese woman' she was restricted by the amount of money she could leave japan with - so she had to sew money into the lining of her clothes. While in New York Kusuma created her famous 'Infinity Nets' one of which sold for $5.1m, fifty years after, which is a record for a living female artist. She also made quite a few sculptures, uninvited at the Venice Biennale of 1,500 mirrored balls and she was told to stop as she shouldn't 'sell art like hotdogs'. But this was just one of the stunts she had to pull to get noticed, as a female japanese artist in New York. She later said after her 15 years in the US that 'America is the country that raised me, i owe what i have become to her'.

Kusuma moved back to Japan and checked herself into a mental institution in 1977 - where she lives today also. She has a studio across the road to which she commutes every day. Kusuma being a sufferer of a mental illness - that has made her the iconic artist she is today, shows how mental illness is not always something to be ashamed of or hidden as its stereotyped to be.

She is largely motivated by her obsession and hatred of sex and her dislike of feminist art. She is one of the most prominent Japanese artists but hates to be associated with the 'Kawaii Art' that is promoted with it. She famously said 'i would not like my work to be called cute'. Last year, Kusuma had her biggest UK exhibition shown at the Tate Modern. This included her paintings, drawings, live installations and sculpture. She also collaborated with Louis Vuitton which involved her iconic polka dot combined with the 'LV' logo. Her designs were in shop windows worldwide - including Selfridges in london which had a statue of her at the forefront of its store.

Kusuma has gone through life simply wanting to leave as big a legacy as possible. She said 'A polka-dot has the form of the sun, which is a symbol of the energy of the whole world and our living life, and also the form of the moon, which is calm. Round, soft, colorful senseless and unknowing. Polka-dots become movement.. Polka dots are a way to infinity.' And thats what she wants. Infinity.

Here is an image i created using photoshop: (Leomie Anderson in Tom Ford SS14)

And some more of my favourite pieces of her work..

(Images are not mine unless stated)

Antoni Gaudi

One of the first artists i researched was Antoni Gaudi. He's a Spanish artist who worked mainly as an architect and with mosaics. I was drawn to his work for these reasons. His work has influenced me to experiment with the main colours he used (blue) and to try and reconstruct his mosaics. His work has made me explore structure - the same way buildings are structured i believe that fashion is structured by society. Here are a few of my favourite pieces of his work..

The Victoria & Albert Museum

Last week i went to the V&A also in South Kensington. I wasn't particularly looking for anything but was pleasantly surprised. I looked at the Islamic Middle East, Asia, Sculpture, Jewellery and Furniture exhibitions.

The tiled prints inspired me to pursue textile and patterns - this led me to researching Antoni Gaudi, Henri Matisse and Yayoi Kusuma who both work with bright prints. Looking at the fashion archives led me into my investigation into clothes - structures and the way different styles have changed over time.

The Natural History Museum

A couple of weeks ago i visited the Natural History Museums in South Kensington. I was looking at reptiles, animals, dinosaur skeletons, and coral.

I really liked the patterns on the corals and the texture of the crocodile and snake skin. The structure of this led me to think of clothes and how while this is the outside of their skin, and the chamelon can change its skin we simply express ourselves through fashion. This led me to my current topic of pattern and texture.