“Pumpkin”

In 2017, the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden’s exhibition Yayoi Kusama: Infinity Mirrors shattered records, attracting more than 160,000 visitors to the museum. After the exhibition left D.C., artist Yayoi Kusama’s legacy remains intact here—and not just on countless Instagram feeds or in the Hirshhorn’s upcoming Kusama retrospective, One With Eternity. Kusama’s “Pumpkin,” an 8-foot tall sculpture covered in the artist’s signature polka dots, has been a hallmark of the museum since it was acquired. While the pumpkin’s usual home—the museum’s sculpture garden—is still open during COVID-19, there are a variety of ways to virtually interact with the artwork. In Bank of America’s latest episode of Masterpiece Moment, Hirshhorn director Melissa Chiu discusses the piece, Kusama’s career and accomplishments, and her lifelong fascination with pumpkins. Additionally, the museum’s #HirshhornInsideOut initiative, a way to keep artists and the public connected with all of the museum’s artwork, including instructions on how to make your own Kusama-inspired pumpkin pinch pot. Who knows? Maybe after a bit you’ll start finding yourself just as obsessed with the gourd as Kusama herself. The video is available to watch on YouTube, and #HirshornInsideOut activities are available at hirshhorn.si.edu. Free.