What Are the Infinity Mirror Rooms by Yayoi Kusama
Step into a room where your reflection doesn’t end. Lights shimmer endlessly, forming galaxies that stretch beyond time. The boundary between the self and the universe blurs, as you find yourself floating in a liminal space crafted not by the stars but by the vision of one of the most enigmatic artists of our time: Yayoi Kusama.
The Infinity Mirror Rooms are not just installations, they are portals into the psyche of an artist who has spent a lifetime obsessively confronting themes of repetition, obliteration, trauma, and self-transcendence. These rooms are among the most visited, Instagrammed, and emotionally resonant contemporary art experiences of the 21st century. But beyond the spectacle, what are these rooms really about? Are they worth the hype? How much does it cost to see one, and are there any downsides to their dazzling appeal?
Let’s take a deeper look.
Yayoi Kusama’s Infinity Mirror Rooms are immersive art installations constructed using mirrors, lights, and objects to create the illusion of endless space. Typically, a room is surrounded entirely by mirrors, on the walls, ceiling, and floor, with carefully arranged lights, sculptures, or motifs that are reflected an infinite number of times. When a viewer steps inside, their reflection, along with the objects and light within the space, seem to stretch out into eternity.
Each Infinity Room is unique in theme, structure, and sensory experience. Some rooms are dark and quiet, featuring suspended LED lights that flicker like stars. Others may be bright, filled with colorful dots, or have pools of water that mirror the mirrored walls themselves, doubling the illusion of infinity.
Notable Examples of Kusama’s Infinity Rooms:
Infinity Mirrored Room – The Souls of Millions of Light Years Away (2013): Perhaps the most iconic, featuring hanging LED lights in a darkened space.
All the Eternal Love I Have for the Pumpkins (2016): Filled with Kusama’s beloved polka-dotted pumpkins.
Infinity Mirrored Room – Phalli’s Field (1965): One of her first mirror installations, with white soft sculptures covered in red polka dots.
Let’s Survive Forever (2017): A mirrored environment of stainless steel balls, reflections, and interactive space.
Each room offers a distinct sensory journey, yet they all draw from Kusama’s recurring themes: the infinite, the self, obsession, mental health, and the dissolution of boundaries between people and the cosmos.
The Meaning Behind the Infinity Mirror Rooms
To understand the meaning behind the Infinity Mirror Rooms, one must delve into Kusama’s life, as her art is inextricably linked to her personal experiences.
Mental Health and Hallucinations:
Kusama has openly spoken about her lifelong struggles with mental illness, including obsessive-compulsive disorder and hallucinations, which began in childhood. She once described her first hallucination as a field of flowers that began to speak to her, each blossom replicating endlessly until she felt obliterated in a sea of repetitions.
These early experiences deeply shaped her aesthetic. The repetitive motifs, mirrored reflections, and themes of self-obliteration are direct artistic expressions of her internal world. The Infinity Mirror Rooms recreate this sensation, inviting the viewer to experience, however briefly, the infinite mental landscapes Kusama has lived with.
“By using mirrors, I was able to create an unlimited space, a space which actually does not exist and yet does exist,” Kusama once said.
Repetition and Obliteration:
One of the most profound themes in Kusama’s work is the concept of self-obliteration. In her world, the ego dissolves, boundaries between self and space evaporate, and the viewer becomes a part of the art. The mirrored rooms envelop the viewer in endless versions of themselves, raising philosophical questions: Where do I end? What is real? Is there such a thing as individuality in the infinite?
In a time marked by self-obsession, selfies, and digital identities, Kusama’s rooms offer a contradictory experience, both a literal mirror of the self and an invitation to lose it entirely.
Cosmic Connection:
The vastness created in each Infinity Room can be read as a metaphor for the cosmos, where stars, light, and time stretch beyond human comprehension. Kusama’s vision is often spiritual. Her mirrored universes allude to Buddhist ideas of nothingness, the illusion of permanence, and the interconnection of all beings. In these installations, Kusama gently dismantles the viewer’s perception of space and time, nudging us toward existential reflection.
Are the Infinity Mirror Rooms Worth It?
This is perhaps the most common question from prospective visitors. Are the Infinity Mirror Rooms just hyped-up selfie traps, or do they offer something deeper?
Artistic and Emotional Value:
Many visitors describe the rooms as profoundly moving, quiet, introspective, even healing. The way light flickers in endless patterns, how your reflection vanishes into a million others, it can be both beautiful and unsettling.
For art lovers and those interested in the psychological or philosophical dimensions of art, the rooms are undeniably worth it. Kusama manages to externalize an internal experience, allowing others to briefly live in her worldview. That’s a rare and precious gift in contemporary art.
Experiential and Aesthetic Appeal:
Even if you’re not deeply versed in Kusama’s backstory or artistic lineage, the rooms are visually stunning. They create perfect moments of wonder, evoking the same awe as a dark sky full of stars or a hall of endless mirrors at a carnival.
For many, it’s a bucket list experience.
But Be Prepared…
You often get only 30 to 60 seconds in each room. Museums limit visitors to preserve the installations and avoid crowding. This can feel abrupt, even disappointing, especially after a long wait or pricey ticket.
How Much Does It Cost to See the Infinity Mirror Rooms?
The cost to see the Infinity Mirror Rooms varies depending on location, type of exhibition, and whether the works are part of a temporary traveling show or a permanent collection.
General Price Ranges:
Major museums (temporary exhibits):
Typically $25–$45 for general admission.
Some require timed tickets or advanced booking, especially for high-demand shows.
Permanent exhibits:
Some rooms are part of ongoing exhibitions in museums like The Broad (Los Angeles) or the Tate Modern (London).
General admission to the museum may be free or lower cost, but Infinity Room access might still require a separate (often free but limited) timed entry.
Private installations:
Kusama’s rooms have been installed in art galleries, fashion events, and even luxury pop-ups. These may be free but exclusive, or part of premium ticketed events.
It’s best to book in advance and check the official website of the hosting venue for ticket options and availability.
What Are the Disadvantages of the Infinity Mirror Rooms?
While the experience is remarkable, it’s not without its criticisms and drawbacks. Here are a few:
1. Short Viewing Times
As mentioned earlier, time inside the rooms is often limited to under a minute. Given the hype, ticket cost, and anticipation, this can feel underwhelming. There’s barely time to take in the environment before you’re asked to exit.
2. Crowds and Lines
Even with timed tickets, Kusama exhibits often draw massive crowds. You may have to wait in line just to enter a single room. In some cases, people wait 30–60 minutes for 30 seconds inside.
3. Over-Commercialization
Some critics argue that the Infinity Mirror Rooms have become commodified, reduced to selfie opportunities rather than art. The overwhelming social media presence has, for some, stripped the rooms of their deeper meanings.
Kusama herself is aware of the phenomenon, though she continues to embrace public attention in her own enigmatic way.
4. Accessibility Concerns
Depending on the installation, some Infinity Rooms may not be fully wheelchair accessible. The narrow pathways, low light, or reflective surfaces can also pose difficulties for people with sensory sensitivities or mobility challenges.
5. Psychological Effects
While rare, some visitors report feelings of dizziness, disorientation, or anxiety due to the overwhelming nature of the mirrored reflections and flashing lights. If you’re sensitive to such environments, the rooms may feel claustrophobic or triggering.
A Journey into the Infinite
Yayoi Kusama’s Infinity Mirror Rooms are more than just beautiful spaces, they are profound artistic statements shaped by a lifetime of struggle, imagination, and visionary thinking. Through the use of mirrors, light, and repetition, Kusama invites us to face the infinite: both the vastness of the cosmos and the inner landscapes of our minds.
Yes, the rooms are photogenic. Yes, they are popular and sometimes feel commodified. But to reduce them to mere “Instagram traps” is to miss the forest for the trees. They are meditations on eternity, identity, and the porous boundary between self and other.
In a world of noise, distraction, and disconnection, even 30 seconds in a room that makes you feel like a part of something eternal can be transformative.
So, are the Infinity Mirror Rooms worth it?
If you’re open to wonder, reflection, and a brief encounter with the sublime, the answer is a resounding yes. image/Adam Fagen/flickr
