3 Wax Seals inspired by the Yayoi Kusama Exhibit

Yayoi Kusama is a contemporary Japanese artist whose distinctive style heavily feature bold, vibrant patterns. I visited her exhibition at the NGV in Melbourne and was inspired to create wax seals representative of different rooms in the gallery.

BLACK & YELLOW SPOTS

In Yayoi Kusama’s art, the pumpkin is a deeply personal and recurring motif, often symbolizing childhood memories, comfort, and a sense of stability amidst personal struggles. It also represents themes of repetition, infinity, and the artist’s ongoing exploration of her own mental state. Yayoi Kusama often decorated this pumpkin, along with other artefacts in a black and yellow spotted pattern.

Do you think my wax seal captured the essence of Yayoi’s black and yellow spotted pattern?

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RAINBOW POLKADOTS

This was another room in the NGV Yayoi Kusama exhibit that I was inspired by. Who isn’t drawn to colourful polka dots! This seal was a bit more difficult to make because I had to get all the dots quickly onto the seal before it fully cooled.

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RED FLOWER ROOM

The final room that we visited at the Yayoi Kusama exhibit was one of my favourites. We were each given a red silk flower to stick wherever we like in the room. All the flowers already in the room were ones that had been stuck there by previous visitors. I wonder what they do with them afterwards 🌹🌺🌸

This wax seal that I made to commemorate that room in the exhibit features a clear window because I wanted the dried, pressed flower to be clearly seen. I love putting it up to the light and seeing the sun stream through the back of the seal. Hope you enjoyed the tutorial and seeing how I made it!

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Hope you found some inspiration! I love seeing all the creative projects that you come up with! Feel free to send them via email, social media, or tag me (@fionaariva on Instagram)