World-famous Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama offered up a brief moment of pause Wednesday through the power of a poem she wrote about the coronavirus pandemic.
“Today, with the world facing COVID-19, I feel the necessity to address it with this message,” reads her message on the Victoria Miro gallery website.
The poem that follows extends words of hope, love and defiance: “To COVID-19 that stands in our way,” she writes, “I say Disappear from this earth.”
The 91-year-old artist, known for her obsession with dots and her widely popular exhibition installations, says now is the time “to stand up,” expressing gratitude to those “who are already fighting.”
She signs off as, “Revolutionist of the world of the Art.”
Read the full poem below.
Though it glistens just out of reach, I continue to pray for hope to shine through
Its glimmer lighting our way
This long awaited great cosmic glow
Now that we find ourselves on the dark side of the world
The gods will be there to strengthen the hope we have spread throughout the universe
For those left behind, each person’s story and that of their loved ones
It is time to seek a hymn of love for our souls
In the midst of this historic menace, a brief burst of light points to the future
Let us joyfully sing this song of a splendid future
Let’s go
Embraced in deep love and the efforts of people all over the world
Now is the time to overcome, to bring peace
We gathered for love and I hope to fulfil that desire
The time has come to fight and overcome our unhappiness
To COVID-19 that stands in our way
I say Disappear from this earth
We shall fight
We shall fight this terrible monster
Now is the time for people all over the world to stand up
My deep gratitude goes to all those who are already fighting.
Revolutionist of the world by the Art
From Yayoi Kusama