Yayoi Kusama paints Melbourne pink with NGV-exclusive exhibition
Melbourne’s St Kilda Road is set to transform into a striking display of pink and white polka dots as part of the National Gallery of Victoria’s (NGV) world-premiere Yayoi Kusama exhibition. More than 60 plane trees along the boulevard will be wrapped in a design created especially for Melbourne by the iconic Japanese artist. This free public artwork, Ascension of Polka Dots on the Trees, complements the comprehensive retrospective of Kusama’s work at NGV International.
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The exhibition, titled Yayoi Kusama, runs from 15 December 2024 to 21 April 2025, featuring works spanning the artist’s career from the 1930s to the present. The showcase includes painting, sculpture, collage, fashion, video, and installation, highlighting Kusama’s significant contributions to movements like minimalism, pop art, and feminist art.
In addition to the wrapped trees, the NGV’s glass waterwall will feature a pink-and-black polka-dot design, and a new iteration of Kusama’s Narcissus Garden will be presented. This installation, first shown at the Venice Biennale in 1966, includes 1,400 silver balls arranged in a reflective display at Federation Court. A towering 5-metre-tall bronze sculpture, Dancing Pumpkin, will also be unveiled, marking one of Kusama’s largest depictions of her signature motif.
Highlights of the Kusama experience
- Ascension of Polka Dots on the Trees: A pink-and-white polka-dot installation along St Kilda Road.
- Narcissus Garden: 1,400 silver balls displayed in Federation Court and in front of the waterwall.
- Dancing Pumpkin: A 5-metre-tall bronze sculpture newly acquired by the NGV.
- Dots Obsession: Inflatable yellow-and-black spheres in the Great Hall.
- The Obliteration Room: An interactive installation in the free children’s gallery.
Colin Brooks, Minister for Creative Industries, described the experience as “a whirlwind Kusama adventure this summer.” Meanwhile, NGV Director Tony Ellwood AM said the gallery is “delighted to extend our exhibition experience beyond the walls of the gallery and share Kusama’s creativity with as many visitors as possible.”
This Melbourne-exclusive event will be held at NGV International, St Kilda Road. Entry fees apply. For tickets and information, visit the NGV website: NGV.MELBOURNE.
