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Yayoi Kusama, Japanese artist who became a global superstar, dies aged 97
From the 1950s to the 2020s, Kusama produced vivid paintings, sculptures and vast installations that often drew on her experience of hallucinations
TL;DR
- Yayoi Kusama, an internationally acclaimed avant-garde artist, died in Tokyo at 97.
- She was known for her "infinity mirror room" installations and polka dot motifs, which gained significant popularity in the social media era.
- Kusama's artistic practice encompassed visual art, performance, fiction, and poetry, often drawing inspiration from hallucinations and themes of self-obliteration.
- She began her career in Japan before moving to New York in 1958, where she developed her "infinity net" paintings and "soft sculptures."
- Kusama felt her ideas were appropriated by male artists and that she was written out of art history, maintaining an "outsider" status.
- Despite periods of obscurity and mental health struggles, she experienced a resurgence of recognition later in her career, with major retrospectives and exhibitions worldwide.
- Her work, including the "Narcissus Garden" and "Infinity Mirror Rooms," continued to evolve and engage audiences globally until her final days.