Yayoi Kusama - "Life of the Pumpkin Recites, All About the Biggest Love for the People”:The China Project of Love & Life

November 12th to 17th, 2024, Shanghai China

Yayoi Kusama’s iconic artwork "Life of the Pumpkin Recites, All About the Biggest Love for the People," part of the China Project of Love & Life, is Kusama’s largest pumpkin sculpture to date. It will be displayed for the first time in China from November 12-17, 2024, at Shanghai North Bund, sponsored by HEYTEA. This 10-meter sculpture, adorned with Kusama's signature polka dots, embodies her lifelong themes of love, unity, and peace. Bringing this work to China not only fosters dialogue between contemporary art and global audiences but also amplifies Kusama’s enduring message of love and life. In a time when the world craves unity and understanding, this Project serves as a poignant reminder of the power of art to bridge cultures. Through this installation, Kusama reaffirms the importance of harmony and connection, resonating with China and beyond.

About The China Project of Love & Life

It is with great excitement that Yayoi Kusama's monumental work, "Life of the Pumpkin Recites, All About the Biggest Love for the People," will be coming to China for the first time as part of the traveling project titled "CHINA PROJECT OF LOVE & LIFE." This extraordinary installation, which debuted in Paris, embodies Kusama's deeply personal connection to the pumpkin, a recurring motif in her art since the late 1940s. Bringing this work to China not only extends the dialogue between contemporary art and global audiences but also amplifies Kusama’s timeless message of love and life. At a time when the world yearns for unity and understanding, this exhibition serves as a poignant reminder of the power of art to bridge cultures, spread peace, and inspire collective hope.

Kusama’s work embodies her message of love and peace, intended to resonate with China and the world. Through this installation in China, she conveys the enduring importance of unity and harmony in today’s world.

HEYTEA is proud to sponsor the CHINA PROJECT OF LOVE & LIFE, which will launch in China from November 12-17, 2024, at North Bund Shanghai, China.

Life of the Pumpkin Recites, All About the Biggest Love for the People, 2019 Installation view, FIAC Hors les Murs, Place Vendôme, Paris Courtesy Ota Fine Arts, David Zwirner, Victoria Miro and YAYOI KUSAMA FOUNDATION. © YAYOI KUSAMA，Photography © Marc Domage

About the China Project limited-edition packaging and merchandises

HEYTEA is honored to be the sponsor of the China Project of Love & Life. During the Project, HEYTEA will release a series of limited-edition packaging and merchandises at its stores worldwide. These exclusive items include limited-edition drink cups, artfully designed paper bags, and whimsical cup sleeves. Additionally, specially crafted keychains and mugs will further enrich the Project’s artistic charm. All these items will only be available as gifts at all HEYTEA stores during the Project, strengthening the emotional connection between HEYTEA and its customers.

These creative and thoughtfully designed products reflect HEYTEA’s unique take on the synergy between art and life, while reinterpreting tea culture in new and innovative ways. By merging art with everyday moments, the spirit of “Adding a Touch of BOBO to the World” becomes a tangible and heartfelt experience for every guest.

HEYTEA: BOBO to the World

In 2012, HEYTEA opened its first store in a small alley along the river in Jiangmen, Guangdong, introducing the world’s first cheese-topped brewed tea and officially kicking off a new era of tea culture in China. From that moment, the meeting of traditional tea culture with modern innovation sparked endless new possibilities.

In 2018, HEYTEA took a bold step by launching the beloved BOBO Tea series, blending playful packaging and brand identity. This infusion of youthfulness, vitality, and charm breathed new life into the ancient tea tradition. The iconic design quickly captured the hearts of young urbanites, becoming a comforting companion in their daily lives. The round, cheerful BOBO bubbles embody joy and healing energy, making each sip a moment of joy and a reason to smile.

In 2024, HEYTEA introduced the creative short film “Adding a Touch of BOBO to the World”, sharing a series of delightful and unexpected stories showcasing how BOBO elements bring fun and joy to everyday life. With warmth and humor, the film conveys the brand’s core message: even in uncertain times, we can find the joy in life through smiles and love.

About The Artist Yayoi Kusama

Yayoi Kusama grew up in a family that cultivated plant seeds in Matsumoto, where she became intimately familiar with the kabocha squash that surrounded her childhood home. In her autobiography, "Infinity Net," Kusama reflects on her lifelong fascination with the pumpkin’s "charming and winsome form" and its "generous unpretentiousness," qualities that resonated with her both aesthetically and spiritually. This deep connection to the pumpkin has made it a recurring motif in her art since the late 1940s.

In Kusama's artistic philosophy, she conceptualizes the sun, the moon, and the earth as spheres, and each human being as a unique polka dot among many. She emphasizes that no dot can exist in isolation; instead, each one relies on the others, symbolizing an ideal society where individuals support one another. This theme of infinite repetition and interconnectedness is a hallmark of Kusama's work, now recognized and celebrated far beyond the art world.

In the context of her work "Life of the Pumpkin Recites, All About the Biggest Love for the People," these ideas take on even greater significance. The installation not only reflects Kusama’s deeply personal connection to the pumpkin but also serves as a powerful metaphor for unity and collective harmony. By bringing this work to China, Kusama extends her message of love and peace to a global audience, reinforcing the enduring importance of connection and support in today’s world.

Kusama with Pumpkin at Aichi Triennale, 2010

Pumpkins Screaming About Love Beyond Infinity, 2017, ©YAYOI KUSAMA, Courtesy of Ota Fine Arts, Yayoi Kusama Foundation

Infinity Mirrored Room—The Eternally Infinite Light of the Universe Illuminating the Quest for Truth, 2020, ©YAYOI KUSAMA, Courtesy of Ota Fine Arts, Yayoi Kusama Foundation

A Bouquet of Love I Saw in the Universe Installation view at Gropius Bau, Berlin, 2021.©YAYOI KUSAMA, Courtesy of Ota Fine Arts, Yayoi Kusama Foundation

I Spend Each Day Embracing Flowers Installation view at David Zwirner, New York, 2023, ©YAYOI KUSAMA, Courtesy of Ota Fine Arts, Yayoi Kusama Foundation