Exploring Narcissus Garden

By Drew Gieseke

Stainless steel spheres present reflections for introspective guests thanks to an iconic art installation that recently made its debut at Laumeier Sculpture Park. Created by world-renowned Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama, Narcissus Garden is on display through the end of spring, offering visitors the chance to shift their perspectives in more ways than one.

“Kusama is probably one of the most recognizable international artists,” says Dana Turkovic, curator at Laumeier Sculpture Park. “Her work crosses over into different disciplines. The timing on this was just so amazing that we were able to bring this here.”

Located inside the Aronson Fine Arts Center’s Whitaker Foundation Gallery on the Sculpture Park’s grounds, Narcissus Garden is an aweinspiring exhibition that contains approximately 1,000 shiny spheres with highly polished surfaces that act as distorting mirrors for guests who pass by. The artwork was first presented in 1966 and has since been reconfigured, traveling across the world to be experienced by onlookers near and far.

Laumeier’s executive director, Lauren Ross, saw the work on display at a different museum and felt compelled to bring it to the region. It is the first large-scale solo exhibition by Kusama on display in St. Louis and is available on loan from the private collection of Connecticut-based art collectors Derek and Lauren Goodman. The exhibit, which can be seen for free with advance reservations, will run locally through May 14.

“We’re always looking for work that communicates the mission of engaging the community through art and nature,” Turkovic said.

The exhibition presents a distorted reality for viewers, who are the central subject of the exhibition. In a world where we’re inundated with images of ourselves and others, where we can color-correct a selfie or brush away eye wrinkles with a few taps, Narcissus Garden challenges viewers to see reflections of themselves that can’t be altered. Therein lies the beauty of the piece.

“It’s an experiential work. Your image is in there, but it’s distorted,” Turkovic said. “It’s not the perfect version of yourself. It’s interesting because your face is really skewed, but when you start to look at the photo, you’re seeing all the detail, all the environment, that you get lost in the sculpture. You get lost in the photography of that piece.

This trick acts as a metaphorical bridge to Laumeier’s permanent outdoor installations. It took about three weeks for Narcissus Garden to be assembled in the gallery space, which is installed like a garden – almost like a scaled-down version of the Sculpture Park and its pathways. In Turkovic’s estimation, these mirrored layouts offer a new way for people to connect with Laumeier.

“I like that this is [an indoor] garden that visitors can walk within, see themselves within and experience in a contained [space] in the galleries,” Turkovic said. “But, you walk outside and have the same experience in the park.”

Laumeier Sculpture Park, 12580 Rott Road, 314-615-5278, laumeiersculpturepark.org