Yayoi Kusama (1929-2026)

"After all, well, moon is a polka dot, sun is a polka dot, and then, the earth where we live is also a polka dot."

Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama has died, aged 97. Kusama's career spannned eight decades, and she was widely recognised as one of today's most important artists. Her signature motifs and materials, such as repeated polka dots, brightly coloured pumpkins and kaleidoscopic Infinity Mirror Rooms, have transcended the traditional art establishment to become part of global popular culture.

In 1957, Kusama moved to New York, producing paintings, sculptures, installations, performances and films which later inspired minimalist and Pop Art movements. Her phallic sculptures were controversial, as were the Infinity Mirror Rooms she created in 1965, which transported the viewer into realms of endless space. Her polka dot and pumpkin works became, commercially, massively successful.

Kusama returned to Japan in 1973. From the late 1970s, she lived voluntarily in a psychiatric hospital while continuing to work in a nearby studio. Her company confirmed Kusama’s death at a hospital in Tokyo on 14 August 2026. "Throughout an extraordinary lifetime devoted entirely to artistic creation, Kusama pursued an internationally acclaimed career as a pioneering avant-garde artist whose creative practice encompassed visual art, performance, fiction, and poetry," they said.

"She continued to paint until her final days, never setting aside her brush, and continued exploration of forever love and eternal soul. We will carry forward Kusama's wishes and, through art, continue to bring hope and strength for the future to people around the world."

Back in December 2024 I travelled to Melbourne and had the chance to visit her marvellous exhibition at NGV.

"Love forever, that is the message I want to spread with my art".
Thank you Yayoi Kusama ❤️