Exposition by Japanese Artist Yayoi Kusama: DOTS OBSESSION

Shirley Monestier at exhibit of Yayoi Kusama

On July 19th, I visited an amazing Exposition by Japanese Artist, YAYOI KUSAMA:  DOTS OBSESSION (INFINITED MIRRORED ROOM) at the Centre D’Art Le Lait, Albi, France.

DOTS OBSESSION is an immersive work composed of mirrors and "molecules" swollen and standing in space, in a closed world. The infinite reflection mirrors, the obsessive use of white dots applied to organic shaped balloons and the bold color red fascinate and disturb one’s perception. The dotted motif covered the entire floor and ceiling of the expo room .. . the mirrored walls gave you a sense of being in space.  I felt totally immersed in the exposition ... what an experience!

Dots Obsession by artist Yayoi Kusama

Yayoi Kusama’s conception and futuristic vision for this installation is extraordinary!

This exposition has been traveling around the world for the past year.  I missed the expo when it was at the George Pompidou Centre in Paris but, fortunately, saw it in beautiful Albi.

Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama

Avant-garde artist and writer  Yayoi Kusama as born in 1929 — an inspiration to those who think age 60 or over means going to the pastures! Kusama is making a comeback at 86 years old. After she left New York in the early 1970s to return to Japan, Kusama was nearly forgotten by the art world.

Recently major retrospectives of her work have been held:

• Museum of Modern Art - 1998
• Whitney Museum - 2012
• Tate Modern - 2012
• George Pompidou Centre - 2012

In 2008 a painting by Yayoi Kusama was sold by Christie's New York for $5.1 million, then the most expensive painting sold by a living female artist.

Kusama started to paint with polka dots at 10 years old, and has worked in a variety of media including painting, collage, and sculpture. In the 1950s in the US, Kusama began creating large sculptures incorporating mirrors and lights. On her return to Japan in the 70s, Kusama won awards for her poetry and novels. She began doing large open-air works incorporating mirrors and lights in the 1990s. Today Yoyoi Kusama's retrospective exhibit Obsession Infinita is touring the world.

Yayoi Kusama: Dots Obsession will continue at the Centre D’Art Le Lait, in Albi, France through October 25, 2015. I hope you're able to visit and are as inspired as I am!

à la prochaine,

Shirley

Petit Déjeuner in Bordeaux

After several months of travel and spending the winter months in Puerto Vallarta, I'm happy to have returned home again to Bordeaux, France. Getting back to my familiar routine as the spring weather arrives gives me a burst of creative energy and inspirations.

One of my favorite routines of our life in France is Saturday morning petit déjeuner at my local market, les Marchés des Capucins in Bordeaux. Extremely popular with both locals, who rely on it for fresh produce and meeting our neighbors, and tourists; this traditional marketplace is an ideal location to enjoy the tastes, scenery and sounds of French daily life. My favorites at the market include the fresh seafood (I adore the oysters), the breads, flowers and of course, the wines.

One of our favorite routines is to enjoy breakfast at les Capu. Here you see my Saturday morning petit déjeuner of café et croissants. Petit déjenuer is the French phrase for breakfast, and literally translates to 'little lunch'. Déjenuer means 'lunch', and jenuer translate to 'fast'. So the phrase petit déjeuner means a small meal to break your fast. A traditional French breakfast is coffee and bread, or for children hot chocolate.

Bon Appétit!

à la prochaine,

Shirley