In pictures: The dotty world of Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama, who has died aged 97

Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama, who died at 97, was celebrated for her vibrant, immersive works that captivated audiences worldwide. Emerging during the pop art era, Kusama gained mass appeal through exhibitions spanning Tokyo, New York, London, and beyond. Her signature polka dots adorned gallery walls, while reflective surfaces in her Infinity Mirror Rooms created illusions of endless patterns.

Actress Julia Fox joined fans at her Melbourne exhibition in 2024, where her distinctive aesthetic had previously drawn crowds to New York's Museum of Modern Art, London's Tate Modern, and Tokyo's National Museum of Modern Art. Kusama's journey began in childhood, when she reported seeing hallucinations of dots and lights, which she incorporated into her art from the 1960s.

Representing Japan at the 1990s Venice Biennale marked a significant international breakthrough. Her immersive installations featured over 800,000 polka dot stickers applied by visitors, including at Washington DC's Hirshhorn Museum in 2017. Kusama's 2012 retrospective at London's Tate Modern led to a permanent Infinity Mirror Room installation there, which she expanded several times.

In 2023, a towering statue of Kusama adorned Paris' Louis Vuitton flagship store. Her influence extended globally, with installations in Manchester and Melbourne, proving her art resonated in diverse cities. Despite decades of voluntary psychiatric hospital residence, Kusama passed away in a Tokyo hospital earlier this month.