If you’re like me, perhaps you haven’t cultured yourself enough to make time to go to an actual art exhibit, or maybe art just isn’t your thing. That’s fine, we all have our quirks. I, however, am an art-lover. I love all things art, all things creative. The weirder the better. And sure, I’ve been to small galleries full of art in reasonable reach of my wallet, but this was different.
Yayoi Kusama is a famous Japanese artist who got her breakthrough debuting her artwork during the 1960’s. Kusama became famous for her “Infinity Mirrored Rooms” — later becoming an exhibit selling out all over the world. So when she made her stop in Atlanta, I was posted up on the ticket sales two hours before the sale went live.
Was it worth it? Absolutely.
Even if your walls are naked, and there’s not a splash of creativity anywhere in your home, you, too, would appreciate Kusama’s exhibit.
It’s like this: Imagine yourself standing in the depths of space. I know, it’s a hard concept to imagine and hopefully I haven't lost you by now, but just try. I imagine my mind being blank. My heart swallowed, and my body weightless. I imagine whatever stresses, anxieties, and troubles I may be facing are just … gone. For 30 seconds, I am empty, surrounded by twinkling lights from the ceiling to the floor, as far as the eye can see. Not the kind of empty where you feel sad or depressed. It's the kind of empty where you just are. The kind of empty where your body feels heavy, sinking into whatever it’s resting on. Kind of like that point where you are just about to fall into a deep sleep, but you’re still awake. That’s the feeling you get standing in the middle of one of Kusama’s Infinity Rooms.
So now you tell me, does it sound like it was worth it?
It almost sounds ridiculous to word an art exhibit like that, but it's the truth. That's how the exhibit made me feel. Can you imagine the things you could be missing out on that make you feel the same? Maybe it's not art. Maybe it's music, or a particular performer you have never seen. Maybe for you, it just takes a session of meditation surrounded by candles and silence.
This blog isn’t solely about the art, it’s about life’s experiences. My advice is this: Step out of your comfort zone. Even if you feel uncultured or out of place, try it. Life is short, and sometimes that reality escapes us. We focus too much on whether we will fit in or what people will think. We limit ourselves to experiences at the expense of others. Order the weird dish on the menu. Read a book that wouldn’t usually peak your interest. Go to an art exhibit and breathe in the air circulating the room where creativity was at a high, that's someone's life you're looking at. It’s about slowing down in a fast-paced society. Absorbing the thoughts, energies, and ideas of other people and their work by experience, rather than judgment. And in return, maybe you will be inspired to find your own passions for people to admire.
I learned this past weekend that I belong in a high-art exhibit. I love it. I love the feeling, the beauty. I have deep appreciation for artists and people who choose individuality; Kusama is the perfect representation of that. I also learned that the highly rated Yelp reviews of the restaurant I ate at were over-rated, but the cabernet was excellent. But guess what, I wouldn’t have known if I hadn’t tried it.
Thank you for listening to my Ted-talk, please keep your eyes open for my next blog.
Check out the gallery to see pictures from Yayoi Kusama’s "Infinity Mirrors" at the Atlanta High Museum of Art.
