art

In pictures: The dotty world of Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama

Using bright colours, shapes, patterns and reflections, Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama, who has died at the age of 97, was known for creating extraordinary immersive worlds that delighted millions of people around the globe.

In pictures: The dotty world of Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama

TL;DR

  • Yayoi Kusama, who died at 97, was celebrated for creating immersive worlds using bright colors, shapes, patterns, and reflections.
  • Her art, featuring trademark polka dots and infinity mirror rooms, became globally popular, attracting large audiences.
  • Kusama's work was influenced by childhood hallucinations, and she represented Japan at the Venice Biennale in the 1990s.
  • Exhibitions of her work were held at major institutions worldwide, including MoMA, Tate Modern, and the National Museum of Modern Art in Tokyo.
  • Visitors actively participated in her installations, such as applying over 800,000 polka dot stickers at the Smithsonian's Hirshhorn Museum.
  • Giant figures and installations of her art have been featured at prominent locations like Louis Vuitton's flagship store in Paris and Manchester's Aviva Studios.
  • Kusama voluntarily lived in a psychiatric hospital for decades and passed away in a Tokyo hospital.