Yayoi Kusama’s Narcissus Garden is coming to the Rockaways

“History repeats itself!” This time on the artwork, the reflection would seem sparklingly visible on the silver mirrored pieces. This contemporary artwork would actually have the powers to reflect the past. Sounds magical! Isn’t it? Yes it is true and this magic would be visible soon from July 1. Well, it is Yayoi Kusamas Narcissus Garden. According to Greek Mythology, Narcissus was known for his beauty. Here the beautiful pieces of Kusama’s Narcissus Garden are going to reflect the remains and history, who knows may be this time history falls in love with itself just like Narcissus did when he saw his own reflection in water. Now after some five decades, Yayoi’s shimmering “Narcissus Garden” is making its triumphant return to the city.

“MoMA PS1 presents Yayoi Kusama’s site-specific installation of Narcissus Garden (1966–present) as the third iteration of Rockaway!, a free public art festival presented with Rockaway Artists Alliance, Jamaica Bay-Rockaway Parks Conservancy, National Park Service, and Bloomberg Philanthropies in the Gateway National Recreation Area at Fort Tilden”

Till now we have been seeing our own truth when we sneak onto the works of Yayoi’s Narcissus where the works reflected the viewer’s reflection on the mirrored pieces. One cannot image how would the industrial surroundings of the now-abandoned building, drawing attention to Fort Tilden’s history as well as the devastating damage inflicted on many buildings in the area by Hurricane Sandy in 2012 would look like when their reflection would fall on the pieces of the Yayoi’s Narcissus Garden, who has been wowing us since 1966. “It will look very, very different than before,” is what Mr. Biesenbach, director of MoMA PS1 said in a phone interview.

Kusama’s Narcissus Garden is not just going to reflect the past but this artwork would also serve as a step towards the recovery of this place by giving it a new touch of beautiful pieces, which would be arranged and presented like never before. This installation comprises of 1,500 mirrored stainless steel spheres. Narcissus Garden is on view in a former train garage that dates to the time when Fort Tilden was an active US military base. This artwork truly deserves the tag of a “true artwork” As the viewers are going to witness the truth of the present situation more closely.

References:

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/18/arts/design/yayoi-kusama-narcissus-garden-rockaways.html

https://www.moma.org/calendar/exhibitions/4995