For artist Yayoi Kusama, things have been getting from bad to worse. The anticipated retrospective at Gropius Bau at Berlin became her latest exhibition to be canceled recently.
The exhibition at Gropius Bau was thought to be the most comprehensive exhibition of Kusama’s works ever. The 91-year-old artist’s long career has produced some stupendous artworks. Gropius Bau aimed to bring together all of these marvels, as well as a new “Infinity Mirror Room”. After its run at Berlin, the collection was planned to move to Museum Ludwig in Cologne and finally to Fondation Beyeler in Riehen, Switzerland. The postponement of the retrospective until 2021 might have been disappointing for the prolific artist.
Yayoi Kusama’s latest work, “Infinity Mirror Room”, debuted at David Zwirner Gallery in New York last year. Met with critical acclaim, many museums sought after the artwork. However, the outbreak of Covid-19 came as a blow to both Kusama and the museums. Tate Modern, New York Botanical Garden, and Hirshhorn Museum had all planned to exhibit Kusama’s works this year. Now, all of them stand canceled or postponed.
The veteran artist made no comment on the postponement of the Gropius Bau exhibition. However, she gave out a statement in April, when the Covid-19 outbreak was beginning to affect the art world.
“To Covid-19 that stands in our way/I say Disappear from this earth/We shall fight/We shall fight this terrible monster. Now is the time to overcome, to bring peace.”
Since March, Coronavirus pandemic continues to affect the art world.
