Learn About the “Infinity Mirrored Room - Let’s Survive Forever” Experience
Published October 25th, 2023
Photography by Jay Kana unless otherwise noted.
World-famous artist Yayoi Kusama has had her work displayed in museum exhibitions across the world in the past decade and in 2016, earned Japan’s prestigious Order of Culture for painting. In fact, she was the first woman to receive this honour.
From September 14, 2023–May 5, 2024, her “Infinity Mirrored Room - Let’s Survive Forever” experience is being held at Rochester’s Memorial Art Gallery, with the installation being on loan from the Art Gallery of Ontario.
The installation itself is a small room of mirrored balls and orbs strewn and suspended throughout, highlighting the feeling of infinite reflections.
When you visit, there’s a 60 second time limit and a maximum of four people allowed per session. Why 60 seconds? With a flood of reflective surfaces, prolonged exposure can run a risk of disorientation. I went through twice on opening day and during the closing seconds of each session, there was a very light yet noticeable feeling of being disoriented. Note that there was about 20 minutes between visits.
Can you take pictures at the Infinity Mirrored Room - Let’s Survive Forever? Absolutely. It’s best to take more pictures/video than less given the strict 60 second limit.
Be careful where you step as there are mirror balls/orbs both on the floors and hanging from the ceiling. Plus, the walls are also mirrors, so there’s a lot for you brain to process as it adjusts to the fully reflective surroundings.
It’s certainly an interesting experience and highlights the creativity and imagination of Kusama.
You can only get in via a timed ticket obtained in person at the admission desk on the actual day of your visit for an additional $5.00 USD. It’s a strictly first-come, first-served system, so you may have no wait time, or it might be a little while.
To plan your experience not only at the installation but for the rest of the Art Gallery, which is truly quite impressive, visit their website here.
Photo by Danielle Benjamin