Yayoi Kusama
NGV International
Ground Level
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15 Dec 24 – 21 Apr 25, ticketed
- NGV Member Adult $34
- NGV Member Child $16
(5–15 years)
- NGV Member Family $84
- Adult $38
- Child (5–15 years) $18
- Concession $35
Seniors card discount Wednesdays only
- Family $94
(2 adults + 3 children)
Born in Japan in 1929, Kusama is one of the world’s most important and recognised practitioners working today. Kusama is renowned globally for her singular and idiosyncratic use of pattern, colour and symbols to create immersive, thought-provoking and intensely personal works of art that transcend language and borders. The artist has made indelible contributions to key art movements of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries, including minimalism, pop art, performance and feminist art, and is celebrated today for her instantly recognisable works of art incorporating pumpkin and polka-dot motifs.
About the exhibition
Curated by the NGV especially for Australian audiences, the exhibition Yayoi Kusama includes many works never-before-seen by local audiences as well as a diverse display of the artist’s popular immersive rooms, including the global unveiling of the artist’s most recent immersive infinity mirror room work.
Comprising nearly 200 works, the exhibition is the largest ever exhibition of the artist’s work in Australia and one of the most comprehensive retrospectives of the artist ever presented globally. Featuring painting, sculpture, collage, fashion, video and installation, the exhibition reveals the astonishing breadth of Kusama’s multidisciplinary practice.
Yayoi Kusama will be displayed across the entire ground floor of NGV International and extend into NGV’s public spaces and the surrounding Melbourne Arts Precinct including NGV’s iconic Waterwall, Great Hall, and Federation Court.
A major highlight of the exhibition will be an impressive assembly of Kusama’s iconic immersive installations, including her infinity rooms that ingeniously use mirrors to create the visual illusion of infinite space. A new, never-before-seen kaleidoscopic infinity mirror room, currently in development especially for the exhibition, will make its global premiere in Melbourne.
The exhibition also includes the Australian debut of Dancing Pumpkin, a towering 5-metre-tall bronze sculpture newly acquired by the NGV with the support of the Loti and Victor Smorgon fund. Conceived by the artist in 2020, Dancing Pumpkin takes her iconic motif into new and surprising conceptual terrain and allows audiences to walk under the towering sculpture.
The exhibition also features the Australian premiere of The Hope of the Polka Dots Buried in Infinity Will Eternally Cover the Universe, 2019, which visually entangles viewers within 6 metre-high tentacular forms covered in yellow-and-black polka dots.
A further highlight will be the presentation of Narcissus Garden, a new iteration of the installation Kusama first presented unofficially at the Venice Biennale in 1966. This installation comprises 1400 stainless silver balls, each 30cm in diameter and presented en masse as visitors enter the Gallery. The NGV will have an opportunity to acquire this work for its Collection through the 2024 Annual Appeal, which invites philanthropic donations of any size.
Our public spaces will also be transformed by Kusama’s signature polka-dots, extending the sensory experience of Kusama’s work beyond the exhibition galleries to include a site-specific artwork for the NGV’s iconic Waterwall and an installation of enormous balloons that will float playfully over visitors’ heads in NGV International’s Great Hall, titled Dots Obsession.
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FAQs
How much are online tickets?
Adult $38
Child (5–15 years) $18
Concession (Seniors card discount Wednesdays only) $35
Family (2 adults + 3 children) $94
NGV Member Adult $34
NGV Member Child (5–15 years) $16
NGV Member Family (2 adults + 3 children) $84
When will tickets be available to purchase?
Tickets will be on sale to the general public via the NGV website from Monday 22 April 2024.
Can you buy tickets at the door?
Limited tickets will be available at the ticketing desk onsite, based on availability. To ensure a smooth entry process, please pre-book your tickets from the NGV website.
What is the age limit for children's tickets?
Children’s tickets are available for ages 5–15.
What age is the exhibition aimed at?
Yayoi Kusama has been at the forefront of many radical and provocative art movements and ideas. Where appropriate, the exhibition will include signs alerting visitors to potentially sensitive or challenging content.
What’s in the exhibition?
Displayed across the entire ground floor of NGV International, Yayoi Kusama is one of the most comprehensive retrospectives of the artist ever presented globally and the largest exhibition of her work ever mounted in Australia. The exhibition traces her entire career – from her childhood in the 1930s through to the present-day – through works drawn substantially from the artist’s personal collection and premier institutions across Japan and Australia. Featuring painting, sculpture, collage, fashion, video and installation, the exhibition reveals the astonishing breadth of Kusama’s multidisciplinary practice.
Is there pram access?
Yes, the Gallery is fully pram accessible and you are welcome to take your pram into the Gallery spaces. Any large bags that are not stored underneath prams will need to be cloaked, this is a free service.
Are food and drinks allowed?
Eating and drinking within the exhibition is restricted, however personal water bottles with a top are permitted.
Are we able to take photographs?
Yes. Please refrain from using tripods, selfie sticks, flash or lighting equipment within the exhibition.
What does my ticket include/exclude?
Your ticket includes entry to the Yayoi Kusama exhibition, including all immersive rooms.
Do I need a separate ticket for the immersive room installations?
Immersive room entry is included in your Yayoi Kusama exhibition ticket. Capacity in the immersive rooms is limited: visitors may be asked to join a queue before entering these spaces.
How long will it take for me to go through the exhibition?
While exhibition visitation times may vary, we recommend allowing at least two hours to experience the full exhibition.
Should I see the immersive room installations before or after seeing the exhibition?
Immersive room installations are scattered throughout the exhibition. Visitors can experience these spaces while inside the exhibition but will not be able to return at a later time without a new ticket.
Do you have a kids exhibition?
The NGV’s dedicated free children’s galleries will present Kusama for Kids which will feature a renowned Kusama artwork to create immersive experiences for kids.
Kusama for Kids will be open on the Ground Level from 15 December 2024.
What is your refund policy?
Tickets are non-refundable and non-transferable. To view our Terms & Conditions, please click here.
How do I make an education or group booking?
Bookings can be made by visiting NGV Learn.
For enquiries please contact our team:
+61 (03) 8620 2222
Education.bookings@ngv.vic.gov.au
9am–5pm, daily
Will there be exhibition merchandise available?
Yes, you’ll be able to shop an exclusive Yayoi Kusama merchandise range, including an exhibition publication from the NGV design store.
Is it wheelchair friendly? What facilities and services are there for disabled people?
Yes, the gallery spaces, accessible toilets and all public areas are wheelchair accessible. The NGV International entrance is also on street level.
For further enquiries about how the Gallery can support your access requirements, please visit NGV Access or contact our team:
+61 (03) 8620 2222
ngvenquiries@ngv.vic.gov.au
9am–5pm, daily
Do you accept Companion Cards?
The NGV recognises the Companion Card and Carer Card. Companion Card holders receive concession priced tickets to all exhibitions and programs, and a complimentary ticket for their companion. Complimentary tickets for companions can be collected at the Gallery. Carer Card holders receive concession priced tickets to all exhibitions and programs.
Is there guidance for guests with sensory sensitivities?
Some works are immersive in nature and may be challenging for visitors with sensory sensitivities due to the use of lights and mirrors.
An Exhibition Access Guide including a Sensory Map will be available to help people with neurodiversity, disability or sensory sensitivities prepare for their visit.
Two Relaxed Session events will be presented for the Yayoi Kusama exhibition, these are an opportunity for visitors to experience a quieter Gallery with fewer people and reduced sensory stimuli.
A Social Story for children is available to introduce the NGV International building and access aids such as fidget items and earplugs are available for free hire.
For further enquiries about how the Gallery can support your access requirements, please visit NGV Access or contact our team:
+61 (03) 8620 2222
ngvenquiries@ngv.vic.gov.au
9am–5pm, daily
What are parking and transport options?
See the Plan your visit page for more information.
Is there an area to leave personal belongings?
Any backpacks, large bags and umbrellas need to be cloaked when you enter the Gallery, with the exception of bags stored underneath a pram or wheelchair. The cloak room facilities is a free service.
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