Yayoi Kusama: Every Day I Pray for Love

by Yayoi Kusama

In her most personal book to date, Yayoi Kusama brings us into her private world through poetic recollections, giving insight into her creative process and the essential role language plays in her paintings, sculptures, and daily life.

With a new focus on Yayoi Kusama’s use of language, this book features an impressive overview of her poetry, which the artist creates alongside her work in other mediums. Highlighting the importance of words to the artist, the book draws special attention to the captivating, poetic titles of her paintings, such as in I WOULD LIKE TO SHOW YOU THE INFINITE SPLENDOR OF STARDUST IN THE UNIVERSE and FIGURE OF THE MIDNIGHT DARKNESS OF THE UNIVERSE THAT I DEDICATED ALL MY HEART . These visionary titles are a quintessential part of Kusama’s eye-catching artworks, but also hold their own as unique aphorisms and appealing statements of cosmic spirituality. The poetry also collected here touches on Kusama’s personal trials, her human ideals, and her heroic pursuit of art above all else.

Centered around EVERY DAY I PRAY FOR LOVE , Kusama’s acclaimed exhibition at David Zwirner, New York, in 2019, the book features more than 300 pages of new paintings, sculptures, and Infinity Mirror Rooms . It also includes photographs of Kusama over time, offering a unique visual timeline of this iconic artist.

Genres: Art, Poetry, Biography, Nonfiction

304 pages, Hardcover

Published December 8, 2020

About the author

Avant-garde Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama was an influential figure in the postwar New York art scene, staging provocative happenings and exhibiting works such as her “Infinity Nets”, hallucinatory paintings of loops and dots (and physical representations of the idea of infinity). Narcissus Garden, an installation of hundreds of mirrored balls, earned Kusama notoriety at the 1966 Venice Biennale, where she attempted to sell the individual spheres to passersby. Kusama counted Donald Judd and Eva Hesse among her close friends, and is often considered an influence on Andy Warhol and a precursor to Pop art. Since her return to Japan in the 1970s, Kusama's work has continued to appeal to the imagination and the senses, including dizzying walk-in installations, public sculptures, and the "Dots Obsessions" paintings.

Reviews

[Dave Schaafsma · Rating 4 out of 5]

Iconic avant-garde artist Yayoi Kusama likes big splashy color and poetry and love. The poetic titles of her paintings, such as in I WOULD LIKE TO SHOW YOU THE INFINITE SPLENDOR OF STARDUST IN THE UNIVERSE and FIGURE OF THE MIDNIGHT DARKNESS OF THE UNIVERSE THAT I DEDICATED ALL MY HEART kind of shout cosmic spirituality and over-the-top celebration. I like her artwork a lot (all those polka dots!!) but am not a huge fan of the poetry, or aphorisms, such as

"THERE IS NO ONE WHO IS UNMOVED BY HOW AMAZING IT IS TO BE ABLE TO SEE THE BEAUTY OF CREATION EVERYDAY IN THIS WORLD AND UNIVERSE WE KIVE IN."

I wish, Ms. Kusama; were it only true that humans valued the beauty of creation in the natural world.

Am I getting cynical in my old age? Maybe. We read these things in context. I am reeling in the news that a friend's daughter committed suicide. So I'm in a funk she cant seem to get me out of. I understand Kusama has struggled with some mental health issues, including OCD, not sure what else, looks like depression, but when she talks whimsically about taking anti-depressants and throwing herself off the Empire State Building (a place where this has happened dozens of times and for which they have to have security to prevent this) I put the book down for awhile.

Actually, to be fair, the thrust of Kusama's work is positive: "ONE HUNDRED STORIES OF THE CREATIVE LIFE SPEAK TO YOU."

"I WILL LOVE WITH ALL MY HEART." (AND YES, ALL CAPS ALL THE TIME IN THIS BOOK and in her life and art)

". . . TOUCHED BY THE MYSTERY OF THE BEAUTY."

"THE VISION OF FANTASY WE HAVE NEVER SEEN IS THIS SPLENDOR."

"MY LIFE'S WISH IS TO DEVOTE MYSELF TO THE INFINITE FANTASY."

So, okay, the repetition of the words works like a set of mantras. I'm in a bad/sad mood, I'll move up my 3 star rating to 4 for the art and the positivity in "these times". And for her own struggle to figure out "this mad mind of mine." Maybe I can figure out mine.

[Christy · Rating 3 out of 5]

yayoi is v depressed. she is all of us.

[Teresa Silva · Rating 4 out of 5]

[Heather Rees · Rating 5 out of 5]

Forever love.

[Alena · Rating 5 out of 5]

Works from 2019: paintings, sculptures, installations, pumpkins, clouds, ladder: and recent poetry and prose from Yayoi herself
╰(*´︶`*)╯♡

[Tash · Rating 5 out of 5]

A stunning collection of Kusama's moving poetry and her mesmerising artworks. Beautiful detail shots of her large scale paintings, sculptures, and installations. They are so perfectly paired with poems presented on spreads next to each other as a sort of "dialogue" between the two.

The works and poems take the reader on a journey from depression and suicidal ideation towards appreciating the infinite beauty snd hope in the world. Kusama's personal journey through her torment is detailed through her poems and is felt through her artworks on each page.

I felt so comforted by this collection, seeing how these artworks that appesr so full joy, colour, and life, really actually question life and the universe itself, existentially imagining the universe within a painting. Coming to a conclusion of radical appreciation of existence through chance and meaninglessness.

Kusama is a brilliant mind and this is really such an amazing collection of her works both high quality images of her works as well as her poems.

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Content Warning here for anyone wanting to read this book that it contains detailed descriptions of suicidal ideation; suicide; death; grief; and mental illness.

I will write a more detailed review in the future! But this book beautifully presents Yayoi Kusama’s poetry and art throughout her life. I was struck by her honesty and hope for the future through love and art and her words. This book shows that both light and darkness can coexist in life; and we can still have hope in art and poetry as we sit in darkness.

[Austyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love love love Yayoi Kusama, but for me, this book had too many poems about the same theme of death, and it was a lot. I don't feel the heaviness present when viewing her work, so it felt mismatched, though I imagine that was intentional.

I'm glad to have read it, but won't likely reach for it again.

[RUTHIE · Rating 5 out of 5]

grounding. read this at the beach it was very nice.

[Evelyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

An eclectic mix of paintings and poetry is used to convey the avant-garde artist’s feelings about love, her life, suicide and death.

[Bella Stenvall · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gorgeous, fun collection of poems and pieces from an icon. Beautiful coffee table book when I one day have a worthy real-adult coffee table.

[Malia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yayoi Kusama's art and her way of viewing the universe and life is just incredible.

[Pinky · Rating 4 out of 5]

Collected poems and artwork of Yayoi Kusama - dizzying and spectacular.