#InfiniteLA exploring Yayoi Kusama: Infinity Mirrors

We've teamed up with FLAUNT Magazine for #infiniteLA, a series of videos featuring an array of Los Angeles leaders, including artist Mark Bradford, Black Lives Matter co-founder Patrisse Cullors, dancer and choreographer Benjamin Millepied, seismologist Dr. Lucy Jones, Homeboy Industries founder Father Greg Boyle and more, discussing the themes explored in the Yayoi Kusama: Infinity Mirrors exhibition.

How to participate

Every week throughout the run of Yayoi Kusama: Infinity Mirrors, The Broad will post a video that ends with a question for you. Answer the question in the comments, using #infiniteLA, or by posting an image or video on your own Instagram, Twitter or Facebook page (also using the hashtag). Each week, our team will review the entries and select a winner, who will receive a pair of tickets to Yayoi Kusama: Infinity Mirrors! Responses must be submitted by Friday at 11:59 PT each week in order to be considered. Winners will be announced the following Monday.  

Read the full rules and regulations

Featured Videos

#infiniteLA: Activist and Artist Patrisse Cullors, Co-Founder of the #BlackLivesMatter Movement

"The young generation is in control of an enormous future and I want them to fight with all their might to live a life just as big, filled with hope. "Yayoi Kusama

This week, we're asking you: What are your hopes for future generations?
 

In the hopes of creating a better world for future generations, activist and artist Patrisse Cullors, who co-founded the #BlackLivesMatter movement with Alicia Garza and Opal Tometi, speaks out against racism and state violence through her work as an organizer and artist, inspiring people and the creation of new movements around the world.

We received so many wonderful submissions last week that we've decided to pick TWO winners, who answered our question, "When do you feel "Self-Obliteration" - like you're a part of something bigger than yourself?"

Rachel Grayczyk (@rachelgaz) wrote: "The first law of thermodynamics states that energy can be transformed from one form to another, but can be neither created nor destroyed. Therefore, we are all infinite. I see infinity in the eyes of the grieving families that I work with who have known loss and yet know that a certain energy forever remains. I see boundlessness in the human ability to heal - waking each day and regenerating, nurturing broken bodies and broken hearts. I have felt infinity deep within my own soul as I embraced the beauty of sorrow and understood that boundless joy and deeply rooted pain could coexist peacefully on one plane. When we begin to understand that everything exists at once and time is an illusion, we find infinity within ourselves."

Kharen (@itskharenpo) wrote: "I see infinity and boundless simply by looking up. Right at the ground the sky starts. That sky continues onward and upward, past our atmosphere continue into the vast expanse that is space, laced with endless stars which each contain even more endless planets all of which, no matter how numerous, equate to how much I love you. He answered as he held her hand close."

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#infiniteLA: Dita Von Teese

"Every time I make an Infinity Room, it is a new piece. They come from my heart or my feelings at the moment."Yayoi Kusama

This week, we're asking you: How has love transformed you?

Share your answer on social media for the chance to win a pair of tickets to Yayoi Kusama: Infinity Mirrors (don't forget to hashtag your post with #infiniteLA). Submit your response by 11:59 p.m. on December 22, and we'll announce the winner on December 26. 

Through her spectacular burlesque shows, Dita Von Teese reveals how love and sexuality has transformed her, inspiring her audience to feel empowered to own their sexuality.

Last week's winners were:

@brain_on_fire (Dee Mack), who answered the question, "What do you hope to accomplish in your lifetime?: "I hope to destigmatize mental illness by educating individuals, families and organizations. I am a proud social worker who has had the privilege of working with the homeless with mental illness and substance abuse as well as with children, adolescents, adults from all communities. My hope is that people will increase their understanding and not be fearful or judge mental of mental illness."

@Meiix3 (Melissa), who answered the question, "How has repetition helped you achieve a goal?": “Everything outdoors is moving. When I'm losing daylight, I have to position, adjust, focus, click, and review the shots repeatedly. In each setting, whether I'm on my feet or on my stomach, only after the process is ingrained I am free to capture the photo I need “Everything outdoors is moving. When I'm losing daylight, I have to position, adjust, focus, click, and review the shots repeatedly. In each setting, whether I'm on my feet or on my stomach, only after the process is ingrained, I am free to capture the photo I need." 

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#infiniteLA: Niki Nakayama & Carole Iida-Nakayama of n/naka

"I was always interested in seeking out new ideas, the new avant-garde, and then new audiences."Yayoi Kusama

Is there a place in your life where you have felt pressure to conform but instead have followed your own path?

Much like Yayoi Kusama, chef Niki Nakayama and her wife Carole Iida-Nakayama of the Los Angeles restaurant n/naka are creative women who have followed their own path to overcome obstacles and achieve critical acclaim in a male-dominated industry.

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#infiniteLA: Artist Mark Bradford

"My idea was to bring out the unknown parts in people by reflecting the mirror of time with my mirror. "—Yayoi Kusama

When has creativity or art made you feel connected to others?
 

Artist Mark Bradford works in paint and community building through his Leimert Park foundation, Art + Practice. In this week's video, Bradford discusses exploring sites of urgency in his work, and how art makes him feel connected to others.

Last week's winner was @linnielinnn82, who pictures an ideal world as one in which every child is able to have basic human rights such as good healthcare and education.

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#infiniteLA: Luz Rivas, Commissioner for the Board of Public Works and Founder of DIY Girls

Yayoi Kusama describes her artwork as "art that does battle between life and death, questioning what we are and it means to live and die."

This week, we're asking you: What do you hope to accomplish in your lifetime?
 

Luz Rivas has built a her career at the intersection of engineering, education and public service — most recently as founder and executive director of DIY Girls, a nonprofit dedicated to increasing girls' interest and success in science and technology. Now, as the Commissioner of the Board of Public Works, Luz is working to create a brighter future for all Angelenos, and is continuing to inspire and work with girls in science and technology.

Luz began her professional career as an electrical design engineer for Motorola after earning a Bachelor of Science from M.I.T. Her passion to get kids interested in STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics)  led her to pursue a Master of Education from Harvard University. For the last 15 years, Luz has worked at nonprofits, museums and universities where she has developed partnerships between educators and STEM research institutions to make cutting-edge science content accessible for K-12 students. She taught service learning for engineering undergraduates at USC, and worked to increase diversity at Caltech. Additionally, Luz has collaborated with engineers, planners and environmentalists to develop environmental technology curriculum for high school students and worked on NASA and National Science Foundation funded projects that aimed to increase access to STEM in community-based organizations. 

Last week's winner was Tony Shu (@mastermindsays), who answered our question, "What are your hopes for future generations?": I hope that those who follow in our footsteps will be filled with such a sense of wonder that they can find happiness even in their everyday lives, that they remember to pause and to treasure those beautiful moments that can all too often be deceptively disguised as ordinary life... I hope that when they look around them, they will see more than the screens on their phones and more than photoshop and filters, that instead they would see sky and trees, oceans and sunsets, that they would see people and faces, and the laughter and the tears hidden in their eyes… I hope they will be brave enough to search for beauty, especially when it is hardest to find, and wise enough to understand when it is more important to be kind than it is to be right... I hope that they will grasp every day just how amazing it is that they are here in this magnificent world… to live and to breathe and to move… And I hope that one day, those who journey behind them will find themselves walking in the footsteps of giants and be inspired to stand as tall as they did... I hope..."

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#infiniteLA: Dr. Lucy Jones, Seismologist

"Thousands of illuminated colors blinking at the speed of light – isn't that the very illusion of Life in our transient world?"Yayoi Kusama

This week, we're asking you: How has technology changed the way you experience the world?

Share your answer on social media for the chance to win a pair of tickets to Yayoi Kusama: Infinity Mirrors (don't forget to hashtag your post with #infiniteLA). Submit your response by 11:59 p.m. on December 22, and we'll announce the winner on December 26. 

Dr. Lucy Jones, a seismologist at CalTech in Pasadena, shows the public how to use technology to process and share information about earthquakes, while emphasizing the need for emotional tools that help people take action when an earthquake hits. 

Last week's winners were:

@brain_on_fire (Dee Mack), who answered the question, "What do you hope to accomplish in your lifetime?: "I hope to destigmatize mental illness by educating individuals, families and organizations. I am a proud social worker who has had the privilege of working with the homeless with mental illness and substance abuse as well as with children, adolescents, adults from all communities. My hope is that people will increase their understanding and not be fearful or judge mental of mental illness."

@Meiix3 (Melissa), who answered the question, "How has repetition helped you achieve a goal?": “Everything outdoors is moving. When I'm losing daylight, I have to position, adjust, focus, click, and review the shots repeatedly. In each setting, whether I'm on my feet or on my stomach, only after the process is ingrained I am free to capture the photo I need “Everything outdoors is moving. When I'm losing daylight, I have to position, adjust, focus, click, and review the shots repeatedly. In each setting, whether I'm on my feet or on my stomach, only after the process is ingrained, I am free to capture the photo I need." 

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#infiniteLA: Father Greg Boyle of Homeboy Industries

"My works talk to people all over the world...I want to bring joy and happiness through art."Yayoi Kusama

How do you picture an ideal world?
 

In this video, we explore Kusama's Infinity Mirror Rooms through the idea of radical connectivity - creating power through networks of people. Father Greg Boyle practices radical connectivity by empowering the community through Homeboy Industries, an organization he founded that is now the largest gang intervention and rehab program in the world.

Last week's winner was Tammy Hornek, who answered our question, "Is there a place in your life where you have felt pressure to conform, but instead followed your own path?": "As a young artist growing up, I felt heavy pressure to do/be anything other than an artist. At that time and in my community, accountants were highly revered to be a respectable career choice. So, when asked as my introduction at a regional talent show, "what do you want to be when you grow up?", I stated "Accountant". The answer grew great applause. In school, I took accounting classes, because I was convinced it was the best path for me to make a good living. I remember sitting through those classes feeling tortured. I even turned down a scholarship to the Art Institute of Pittsburgh for fear I would end up a 'starving artist'. I ended up going into business and working for the nations largest retailer. When I had children I then worked for the nations first Direct Sales company. It was in that time that I began to feel as if I had "lost myself". In my exploration of rediscovering myself, I came to realize that I truly wanted to be an artist and share my talent and love for life with the world. To that end, I formulated an art business plan that would ensure I was not a "starving artist". I realized that it might take a lot of time to sell a painting. So, instead, I would teach painting. I, now, am on my 6th year of teaching fun, challenging and exciting painting classes to adults who also lost their love for creating amidst their run up the corporate ladder. My goal is to give adults a confidence building experience where they can be proud of themselves for creating something they did not believe they could do. Then they take their painting home and share it on social media and as they collect compliments, they become like little children as they are reminded of what it feels like to be congratulated on a job well done. Creating helps them escape the stress of their lives and as we place deposits into adults confidence levels, their spirits soar to do greater things. One person at a time, I am making a difference by returning to my first love... art."

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#infiniteLA: Benji Stanton, Art Teacher at Davis Middle School in Compton

"By obliterating one’s individual self, one returns to the infinite universe."Yayoi Kusama

This week, we're asking you: When do you feel "Self-Obliteration" - like you're a part of something bigger than yourself?
 

We explore Kusama's Infinity Mirror Rooms through the idea of self-obliteration - obliterating yourself to return to the infinite universe, to become a part of something bigger than yourself.  Benji Stanton teaches art in the Compton Unified School District at Davis Middle School. His classes are 100% funded through grassroots fundraising and community support. When there hasn't been enough funds available, Benji has spent money out of his own pocket to buy supplies. Through his art classes and student art projects, he creates a nurturing environment that encourages and inspires students to express themselves through art, to find their voices and to become creative, collaborative and confident.

Last week's winner was Amy Hughson, who answered our question, "When has creativity or art made you feel connected to others?: "Every time I see live theatre I am reminded of how art has the power to connect people from different walks of life. The live nature of theater creates a unique and special experience for the actors and audience that can never be replicated. The actors and the audience members go on a journey together, feeding off of each other, trying to make sense of human experiences and universal truths that bind us all together regardless of race, class, sex, gender, sexual orientation, or ability. That journey has the power to help us understand each other a bit better, something that our world needs desperately."

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#infiniteLA: Benjamin Millepied, Founder of LA Dance Project

"By continuously reproducing the forms of things that terrify me, I am able to suppress the fear...and lie down among them. That turns the frightening thing into something funny, something amusing."Yayoi Kusama

This week, we're asking you: How has repetition helped you achieve a goal?

Share your answer on social media for the chance to win a pair of tickets to Yayoi Kusama: Infinity Mirrors (don't forget to hashtag your post with #infiniteLA). Submit your response by 11:59 p.m. on December 15, and we'll announce the winner on December 18. 

Benjamin Millepied is a Los Angeles-based French dancer, choreographer and filmmaker, who moves and searches with his body in the search for new paths. With dance rehearsals that can last two months, the repetition of movement so completely penetrates the body that it becomes automatic onstage. 

Millepied was a principal with the New York City Ballet, where he danced from 1995 to 2011. In 2010, Mr. Millepied choreographed and starred in the award-winning film, Black Swan. Two years later, he founded the LA Dance Project, a platform for the development, creation, support and presentation of world-class dance in Los Angeles. Comprised of an internationally acclaimed dance company, a brand new performance space in Los Angeles’ burgeoning Arts District, and a program of media initiatives, LADP promotes dance not only as an artistic practice but as a way of being in the world. LADP seeks to foster dance-centered artistic collaborations across all disciplines, cultures and communities in Los Angeles and around the globe. Since its founding, LA Dance Project’s company has toured and given master classes at international venues and festivals including the Holland Festival, the Edinburgh International Festival, La Maison de la Danse, the Saitama Arts Center, Sadler’s Wells Theatre, Shanghai and Bejing Opera House and Theatre du Chatelet. In the US, the company has performed at venues including Jacob’s Pillow, Brooklyn Academy of Music and New York City Center. In its home city of Los Angeles the company has performed at The Music Center’s Walt Disney Concert Hall, MOCA, Union Station, The Theatre at Ace Hotel, and The Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts. Since its founding, LA Dance Project’s company has toured and given master classes at international venues and festivals including the Holland Festival, the Edinburgh International Festival, La Maison de la Danse, the Saitama Arts Center, Sadler’s Wells Theatre, Shanghai and Bejing Opera House and Theatre du Chatelet. In the US, the company has performed at venues including Jacob’s Pillow, Brooklyn Academy of Music and New York City Center. In its home city of Los Angeles the company has performed at The Music Center’s Walt Disney Concert Hall, MOCA, Union Station, The Theatre at Ace Hotel, and The Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts. Video footage of dancer courtesy LA Dance Workout.

Last week's winner was Tony Shu (@mastermindsays), who answered our question, "What are your hopes for future generations": I hope that those who follow in our footsteps will be filled with such a sense of wonder that they can find happiness even in their everyday lives, that they remember to pause and to treasure those beautiful moments that can all too often be deceptively disguised as ordinary life... I hope that when they look around them, they will see more than the screens on their phones and more than photoshop and filters, that instead they would see sky and trees, oceans and sunsets, that they would see people and faces, and the laughter and the tears hidden in their eyes… I hope they will be brave enough to search for beauty, especially when it is hardest to find, and wise enough to understand when it is more important to be kind than it is to be right... I hope that they will grasp every day just how amazing it is that they are here in this magnificent world… to live and to breathe and to move… And I hope that one day, those who journey behind them will find themselves walking in the footsteps of giants and be inspired to stand as tall as they did... I hope..."

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#infiniteLA: UCLA Climate Scientist Aradhna Tripati

"Our earth is only one polka dot among a million stars in the cosmos. "Yayoi Kusama

This week, we're asking you: Where do you see infinity or boundlessness in our world?
 

UCLA climate scientist Aradhna Tripati's ideas relate to the positive energy of human potential, which she believes is infinite in nature. Through her research and work as the Director of the Center for Diverse Leadership in Science, she works to connect earth science and social justice to create a more equitable and just world.

Last week's winner was @etty_wap729, who answered our question, "When do you feel like you are part of something bigger than yourself?": "When I am working with a patient who has advanced dementia, and I look into their eyes that are usually empty (or scared), and instead of talking, asking them to speak, or assuming that I know what they need, I just look back kindly and smile... and they smile back. It works every time. It’s incredible, and makes me realize that there is more to a person than cognition, and that kindness can so easily access the person we thought was beyond reach. Goosebumps & gratitude, every time."

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