Stepping into Yayoi Kusama’s latest exhibition, Every Day I Pray for Love, feels like entering a dreamworld. Running from September 25 to November 2, 2024, at London’s Victoria Miro Gallery, this show encapsulates Kusama’s iconic themes—polka dots, infinity, and the mysterious beauty of life cycles. With new installations, a mesmerizing Infinity Mirror Room, and vibrant paintings, Kusama proves yet again why her work continues to captivate audiences across the globe.
A Room of Infinite Reflections
The first highlight of the exhibition is the Infinity Mirrored Room: Beauty Described by a Spherical Heart. Imagine standing in a space where flashing concentric LED lights and a giant mirrored sphere distort and multiply your reflection endlessly. The effect is disorienting yet oddly calming, as if you’ve become part of an infinite cosmic pattern. Kusama’s ability to blend light, space, and perception into a single, unbroken experience is what keeps people coming back to her Infinity Rooms, and this one is no exception.
New Paintings: Kusama’s Universe on Canvas
The gallery’s upper floors introduce a series of new works from Kusama’s ongoing collection, Every Day I Pray for Love. These paintings may look small at first, but don’t be fooled. They pack an enormous punch. Each canvas feels like a portal into Kusama’s world—filled with intricate lines, playful dots, and vibrant colors. The works are both personal and universal, echoing her obsession with the microscopic and the macroscopic. It’s easy to lose yourself staring into the repeating patterns and organic shapes that seem to swirl and pulse with life.
Sculptural Masterpieces: Death of Nerves and Ladder to Heaven
Kusama’s sculptures have always been awe-inspiring, and the 2024 exhibition delivers two standouts: Death of Nerves and Ladder to Heaven.
Death of Nerves takes over the gallery’s massive central space, with polka-dotted tendrils that cascade from the ceiling like a waterfall. Originally shown at M+ in Hong Kong, this installation speaks to the delicate balance between life and death. The organic shapes, reminiscent of vines or nerve systems, feel alive, as though they might reach out and wrap around you at any moment.
Outdoors, in the gallery’s serene canal-side garden, stands Ladder to Heaven—a four-meter-tall stainless steel sculpture. Reflecting both the sky and the surrounding water, this polished ladder stretches upward, creating the illusion of infinite ascent. The circular panels at the top and bottom give the sculpture an ethereal quality, as if it’s a gateway to another world. Kusama has created ladders before, but this is her first outdoor version, making it a truly special piece.
Public Art: Infinite Accumulation at Liverpool Street Station
As if the exhibition itself weren’t enough, Kusama has also left her mark on the city of London with her first-ever public art installation in the UK. Infinite Accumulation now graces Liverpool Street Station, an iconic location for Kusama’s signature polka dots. The sculpture’s interwoven forms feel dynamic and alive, reacting to the station’s architecture and encouraging onlookers to see their urban surroundings in a new light.
Themes of Regeneration and Cosmic Renewal
One thing becomes clear as you move through the exhibition: Kusama’s obsession with life cycles remains central to her work. Whether through the repeating patterns of her paintings or the organic shapes in her sculptures, Kusama continues to explore the relationship between life, death, and rebirth. Her work reminds us that everything is interconnected, whether at the cellular level or on the cosmic scale.
Pieces like The Moment of Regeneration reinforce this theme, with their forest-like forms symbolizing growth, decay, and the possibility of renewal. Kusama’s ability to turn such abstract concepts into visually compelling art is what sets her apart. Despite her age, Kusama’s work feels as fresh and relevant today as it did decades ago
Details of the Every Day I Pray for Love Exhibition
Tickets to this much-anticipated event are free, but, unsurprisingly, they’re fully booked. However, all hope is not lost—according to Victoria Miro, ticket returns are posted each Monday, so keep a close watch if you’re determined to witness this immersive experience.
A limited number of additional tickets will be released on the Victoria Miro booking page every Monday at 12noon, starting 30 September, for entry Tuesday to Saturday of the same week.
Every Day I Pray for Love runs 25 September–2 November 2024 at Victoria Miro located at 16 Wharf Road, London N1 7RW.
Kusama Continues to Connect with Her Audience
There’s a reason Yayoi Kusama’s exhibitions continue to sell out year after year. Her work has a way of touching something deep within us, something universal and timeless. Every Day I Pray for Love at Victoria Miro is no exception. Whether it’s the mesmerizing Infinity Room, the dynamic sculptures, or the vibrant paintings, this exhibition promises a sensory overload in the best possible way.
If you’re lucky enough to snag a ticket—or keep a close eye on the Monday ticket returns—you’re in for an unforgettable journey into Kusama’s world.
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