DOWN THE RABBIT HOLE

Imagine seeing polka dots on everything around you. Imagine how this would influence and shape you as a human being. This is what happens to Japanese artist and writer Yayoi Kusama, for since childhood, Kusama has had a rare condition that makes her see colorful spots on everything she looks at. Her vision, both literally and creatively, is thus naturally surreal, nearly hallucinogenic.

This extraordinary artist, who works in different media including painting, collage, sculpture, performance art and environmental installations, has recently illustrated one of most beloved children's story Alice in Wonderland. Kusama is famous for her use of psychedelic colors, repetition and pattern with nearly obsessive use of dots.
It seems to me that the legendary Lewis Carroll's classic is given by her work an extremely visually captivating imaginary. I also like the use of twisted typography in this work.
Needless to say, this illustrated book is already on my wish list. I just share now a few pictures found on the net but I will wait to have the real book in my hands to discover more, as I hope you might like to do yourself.

Here above [and in picture 3] the artist at work. After living and working in New York between 1957 and 1973 where she became associated with the pop art movement, Yayoi Kusama currently lives in Japan in a hospital where she admitted herself voluntarily in 1977 after experiencing psychiatric problems. Since then she lives there, and from the hospital she continues to produce a variety of works as well as launching her literal career by publishing novels, poems and an autobiography.

Find out more about this extraordinary woman on her site.

{ pictures credits 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 }

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