Yayoi Kusama’s Naoshima Pumpkin Makes Its Return
The original squash was squished in stormy seas after it was swept from its pier during Typhoon Lupit.
Benesse Art Site unveils their replacement Yayoi Kusama Pumpkin in Naoshima. Courtesy Benesse Art Site.
A new Yayoi Kusama Pumpkin sculpture has been installed at the Benesse Art Site in Naoshima to replace the one damaged by Typhoon Lupit in August 2021.
The two-metre-tall sculpture, a near exact replica of its predecessor, was installed on 4 October and revealed in a ribbon-cutting ceremony.
'We would like to express our deepest gratitude to the artist, Yayoi Kusama, and everyone else who was involved in the production and exhibition of this work, as well as to all fans and local residents who have been looking forward to the exhibit work,' Benesse Art Site shared in a statement.
'Moving forward, we will also be adopting more robust disaster prevention precautions for the management and protection of artwork under our care,' they said.
According to The New York Times, the new pumpkin has a special attachment in its stem 'that would allow it to be easily dragged to safety if another typhoon were to threaten it.'
Even without this special attachment, the original pumpkin sculpture was often removed in anticipation of storms.
A spokesperson for the Benesse Art Site said it wasn't moved before the arrival of Typhoon Lupit because the storm moved 'unpredictably' and 'there were no warnings on the island'.
'After the typhoon approached, the decision was made to give priority to human life, so it could not be removed,' they said.
Yayoi Kusama's Pumpkin was first exhibited in 1994. Since then, it has become a source of pride for locals.
Yoshio Nishiguchi, a 72-year-old innkeeper and former seaweed farmer, said his late wife exclaimed 'what the hell is it?' when she first laid eyes on the work. Now, he said, the sculpture is viewed as a 'treasure'.
The sculpture is also a major draw for international tourists, who will soon be able to visit Naoshima again.
After almost three years, Japan will finally reopen its borders to independent travellers on Tuesday 11 October. —[O]
