Valentine Kim (pictured above)
First-grader, Lincoln Square
How did you pick out your outfit?
I really wanted to match Yayoi Kusama. I love her so, so much. I’ve been making outfits since I was 2 years old. I keep making outfits when I grow out of one for every exhibit. One time, I was wearing my outfit and some people thought I was actually Kusama. That happened during her exhibit at the Botanical Garden a couple of years ago. We went to that probably ten times, and I wore one of my outfits and a couple of people thought I was actually Yayoi Kusama, even though I was a minuscule girl and maybe 5 years old.
Kamal Jahi
Musician, Bushwick
Joyce Griffin
Midwife, Williamsburg
How was this Infinity Mirror Room?
It’s gorgeous. There was a long line, but in New York, if I see a line, I get in it, even if I don’t know what it’s for. Once, I got out of work at 8 a.m. I’m driving down Broadway and see a line of cool-looking people. I got in it and wound up getting U2 tickets. I didn’t even know U2 was a band. I just said, “I gotta get in line.”
Daniel Dolan
Social worker, East Village
Brandon King
Art student, Upper West Side
What did you do earlier today?
I went to a sculpting store looking for rubber and foam for a piece I’m working on — a bus with different symbols. I’ve made art that’s super-literal for so long: This is the message; this is what it means. Now, I’m moving toward intuitive, ephemeral art, letting my third eye just go. Anyway, I bought a Dremel.
Anna Akhvlediani
Marketing director, Barcelona
Micah Moore
Photographer, Arlington
Jarman Rogers
Software engineer and artist, Soho
Lily Hoffman
Bartender, Bushwick
Tamar Gargenidze
Premed student, Midtown
Shuo Zhang
Nail artist, Flushing
Bryan Edwards
Residential aide, East New York
Carolyn Chang
Freelance publicist, Upper East Side
What did you think of the show?
When I was in the room with all the paintings, I remembered I have trypophobia, which is a fear of small dots or small holes. All the little dots on the small paintings were starting to freak me out. I think that’s why I felt like it was consuming me. The work I’ve seen of hers before all has fairly large dots, so I wasn’t expecting the room with all those small works on the wall. I was like, Oh my God, I have to leave.
Bill Carter
Personal trainer, Astoria
Melisa Seah
Product-marketing manager, Upper East Side
Mary Benner
Art teacher, Long Branch, New Jersey
Da’Shaunae Marisa
Photojournalist, West Hollywood, California
Jillian King
Artist and model, South Street Seaport
What do you like about Kusama?
Her art is obsessive. She doesn’t want to just paint on a canvas; she fills an entire room, floor to ceiling, with dots. I know she lives in a mental institution, and I feel it’s some sort of obsessive compulsion. I relate to that so much. For about 30 years, I’ve only painted cars. It’s just what I want to do all the time.
Xavier Scott Marshall
Director and photographer, Astoria
Kamal Jahi
Musician, Bushwick
Joyce Griffin
Midwife, Williamsburg
How was this Infinity Mirror Room?
It’s gorgeous. There was a long line, but in New York, if I see a line, I get in it, even if I don’t know what it’s for. Once, I got out of work at 8 a.m. I’m driving down Broadway and see a line of cool-looking people. I got in it and wound up getting U2 tickets. I didn’t even know U2 was a band. I just said, “I gotta get in line.”
Daniel Dolan
Social worker, East Village
Brandon King
Art student, Upper West Side
What did you do earlier today?
I went to a sculpting store looking for rubber and foam for a piece I’m working on — a bus with different symbols. I’ve made art that’s super-literal for so long: This is the message; this is what it means. Now, I’m moving toward intuitive, ephemeral art, letting my third eye just go. Anyway, I bought a Dremel.
Anna Akhvlediani
Marketing director, Barcelona
Micah Moore
Photographer, Arlington
Jarman Rogers
Software engineer and artist, Soho
Lily Hoffman
Bartender, Bushwick
Tamar Gargenidze
Premed student, Midtown
Shuo Zhang
Nail artist, Flushing
Bryan Edwards
Residential aide, East New York
Carolyn Chang
Freelance publicist, Upper East Side
What did you think of the show?
When I was in the room with all the paintings, I remembered I have trypophobia, which is a fear of small dots or small holes. All the little dots on the small paintings were starting to freak me out. I think that’s why I felt like it was consuming me. The work I’ve seen of hers before all has fairly large dots, so I wasn’t expecting the room with all those small works on the wall. I was like, Oh my God, I have to leave.
Bill Carter
Personal trainer, Astoria
Melisa Seah
Product-marketing manager, Upper East Side
Mary Benner
Art teacher, Long Branch, New Jersey
Da’Shaunae Marisa
Photojournalist, West Hollywood, California
Jillian King
Artist and model, South Street Seaport
What do you like about Kusama?
Her art is obsessive. She doesn’t want to just paint on a canvas; she fills an entire room, floor to ceiling, with dots. I know she lives in a mental institution, and I feel it’s some sort of obsessive compulsion. I relate to that so much. For about 30 years, I’ve only painted cars. It’s just what I want to do all the time.
Xavier Scott Marshall
Director and photographer, Astoria
