Yayoi Kusama, the Japanese artist whose polka dots and immersive Infinity Rooms made her one of the most recognisable figures in contemporary art, has died aged 97. Her studio confirmed the news, with the artist passing away peacefully.
A Life in Polka Dots and Pumpkins
Born in Matsumoto, Japan, in 1929, Kusama moved to New York in the late 1950s, where she staged provocative happenings and large-scale installations. She returned to Japan in the 1970s and voluntarily checked into a psychiatric facility in Tokyo, where she lived for decades while continuing to produce art from a nearby studio.
Her work, which spanned painting, sculpture, performance and installation, was defined by obsessive repetition – most famously the polka dot and the pumpkin motif. The Infinity Mirror Rooms, which use mirrors and lights to create the illusion of endless space, drew millions of visitors to museums worldwide.
Global Recognition and Legacy
Kusama's later career saw unprecedented commercial and critical success. In 2016, she was named one of Time magazine's 100 most influential people. Her retrospective exhibitions repeatedly broke attendance records, and her auction prices soared into the tens of millions of dollars.
The artist was known for her distinctive red wig and bold, polka-dotted clothing, which made her a beloved public figure well into her nineties. She continued to create new works until shortly before her death.
Her studio said she died peacefully, surrounded by loved ones. A private funeral has been held, with a public memorial planned at a later date. Kusama's influence on generations of artists, from Andy Warhol to contemporary installation artists, is widely regarded as immeasurable.
