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IN PICTURES: Yayoi Kusama: A life in polka dots, pumpkins and infinity

Yayoi Kusama, the pioneering Japanese artist known for her iconic polka dots, pumpkins and immersive Infinity Mirror Rooms, leaves a remarkable legacy spanning more than seven decades. Her distinctive work transformed contemporary art and made her one of the world’s most recognisable artists. Kusama died this month at the age of 97.

IN PICTURES: Yayoi Kusama: A life in polka dots, pumpkins and infinity

Yayoi Kusama, a renowned Japanese artist, has died at the age of 97. According to her studio, she passed away on August 14 at a hospital in Tokyo. Kusama was known for her iconic polka dots, pumpkins, and immersive Infinity Mirror Rooms, which transformed contemporary art and made her one of the world's most recognisable artists.

Born in 1929, Kusama began producing her signature art at the age of 10. Her work was influenced by hallucinations she experienced, including seeing patterns and dots everywhere. She moved to the United States in the late 1950s and rose to prominence in New York's art scene. The Jerusalem Post reported that she was candid about her mental health struggles, and that her neuroses were fueled by New York.

Kusama's artwork featured repetitive motifs, including dots, nets, and infinity motifs. The Malay Mail reported that she continued to paint until her final days, and her studio said she "continued to explore forever love and eternal soul." Her legacy spans over seven decades, and her work has been exhibited widely around the world, including at the Museum of Modern Art and the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York.

Brief written by urgent.news from Daily Maverick, Bangkok Post, Malay Mail, Jerusalem Post, The Korea Times — 5 reports on this story. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.

Read the original at dailymaverick.co.za →

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