Yayoi Kusama fans were deeply unsettled upon hearing that there are no immediate plans to re-install the artist’s iconic yellow pumpkin on the island of Naoshima. The sculpture, which became a permanent fixture of the Japanese art island in 1994, was badly damaged in a typhoon last summer and hasn’t been seen since it was returned to Kusama’s studio.
According to Sankei News, this is because officials at Benesse Holdings (the company that manages the art initiatives in the region) are still trying to work out whether to repair the damaged sculpture or to commission a brand new one.
The newspaper quoted a PR representative at the company saying that Benesse is aiming to re-install the iconic sculpture before the end of the Setouchi Triennale, which is set to run until the beginning of November 2022.
That’s a pretty tight deadline, but let’s hope they can meet it – the art island just doesn’t look the same without its signature spotty pumpkin.
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