Kusama’s Naoshima Pumpkin
Yayoi Kusama is an interesting and eclectic artist to say the least. Her work is characterized by polka dots and bright colors, set onto forms that are organic such as the famous yellow Pumpkin on Naoshima. Yet, this is more than just a sculpture on a pier. It’s also a metaphor for an artists dilemna, trying to get attention in a vast world, standing alone patiently.
Naoshima is one of Japan’s art islands, focused especially on modern art and contemporary building design. The isolated setting made it easy to pause and take some time to reflect, to appreciate life for what it is outside of the hustle and grind of everyday work.
For the lead image above, I brought an extra wide angle lens on purpose. I had seen many photos of this particular pumpkin and too many of them felt flat, unable to capture the whole surrounding seascape. After some experimenting, I found that a higher angle got the view I wanted. My arms were extended as high as I could reach, almost at seven feet, rather than the normal mid five foot perspective that I naturally have. This opens up the view and you get so much more around the artwork, making for a very dynamic photograph that seems to glow and change the longer I stare at it.
Hope you enjoy this capture, along with the behind-the-scene look of some tourists getting their own portrait below.
Photos taken with the Nikon Z9 and NIKKOR Z 14-24 f/2.8 S, NIKKOR Z 24-70mm f/2.8 S II lenses