NOW OPEN – WORLD-RENOWNED ARTIST INSTALLATION AT WPCC
Come and experience the immersive installation from the world’s most popular artist Yayoi Kusama at the Western Plains Cultural Centre.
Now open in Dubbo, THE SPIRITS OF THE PUMPKINS DESCENDED INTO THE HEAVENS, 2017 is on loan from the National Gallery of Australia through the Sharing the National Collection initiative.
THE SPIRITS OF THE PUMPKINS DESCENDED INTO THE HEAVENS is an installation comprising a vibrant yellow room overrun with black polka dots of various sizes. At its centre is a mirrored box, inside of which are several dozen illuminated pumpkin sculptures that can be seen through a window. The pumpkins, endlessly reflected in the room’s internal mirrors, are also vivid yellow and adorned with dots. The dazzling combination of dots, mirrors and pumpkins creates an optical illusion – a sensation of infinite space and colour.
The immersive installation will be open from 10am to 2pm daily at the Western Plains Cultural Centre for visitors to come and experience.
Dubbo Regional Council Mayor Josh Black said showcasing high-profile international artist, Yayoi Kusama, in the Western Plains Cultural Centre in Dubbo is an amazing feat and one that will draw visitors from near and far.
“Seeing this work of art in person is an experience like no other and one that is a must see for locals and visitors alike,” Clr Black said.
Director of the National Gallery, Dr Nick Mitzevich, said the loan was a unique opportunity to bring one of the most celebrated works from the national collection to regional Australia.
“We welcome local audiences and visitors to Western Plains Cultural Centre to immerse themselves in the infinite world of influential artist, Yayoi Kusama – by far one of the National Gallery’s most requested and popular works. The Sharing the National Collection initiative supports the costs of facilitating significant contemporary art by international artists to regional communities across Australia,” said Mitzevich.
Yayoi Kusama (born 1929, Japan) has engaged with an expansive idea of space and the human body. She uses several recurring motifs – dots, eyes, nets and pumpkins – to investigate repetition and to create sensory experiences that hint at the infinite.
This work of art is on long term loan from the National Gallery, Canberra, with support from the Australian Government as part of Sharing the National Collection. #ArtAcrossAustralia.
This installation is free to attend. For more information visit www.westernplainsculturalcentre.org/yayoikusama.
Last Edited: 17 Nov 2025