Avant-garde artist Yayoi Kusama dies at 97

Yayoi Kusama, one of the most influential figures in contemporary art, died on August 14 in a Tokyo hospital from multiple organ failure, aged 97. The announcement came from the Yayoi Kusama Memorial Art Foundation, which stated that the funeral was held among close family, with a public memorial service to be planned at a later date.

Born in 1929 in Matsumoto, Nagano Prefecture, Kusama began drawing dots and nets as a child, inspired by visual and auditory hallucinations. In 1957, she moved to the United States, where she developed her iconic net paintings—large canvases covered in repetitive patterns—as well as soft sculptures, mirror and light installations, happenings, and body painting. In 1966, she participated in the 33rd Venice Biennale, presenting her installation “Narcissus” alongside the official exhibition, and also experimented with film and publishing.

Kusama returned to Japan in 1973 and took up writing, receiving the Wild Era Newcomer Award in 1983. Themes of nature, love, life and death, and infinity permeated her outdoor sculptures, installations, and painting series shown globally. In 2016, she was awarded the Order of Culture, one of Japan's highest honors, and the following year she opened the Yayoi Kusama Museum in Tokyo, which has drawn numerous visitors.

Her work, which blurred boundaries between art, performance, and fashion, influenced generations of artists. She made the polka dot—a symbol of infinity and obsession—a universally recognized signature. The art world mourns the loss of a pioneer whose vision shaped the 20th and 21st centuries.

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Written by the ADM desk based on 美術手帖. Read the original article for the full story.