"No. C.A.9 " Yayoi Kusama 1960, Painting, Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA)

My thoughts behind the selection of Kusama’s "No. C.A.9" is for its repetitive marks and immersive visual language, and how it invites viewers to consider what it might feel like to experience a world that doesn't always align with how others perceive it. Kusama has spoken about hallucinations and psychological distress, and her artistic practice has allowed her to translate experiences that can be difficult to explain into patterns, colors, and forms. I want viewers to reflect on how people develop different ways of understanding and navigating their inner worlds, and how creativity can become a means of expression and continued living.