Infinity Mirror Rooms artist, Yayoi Kusama, dead at 97. Her polka-dotted life in pictures

Yayoi Kusama, the renowned Japanese contemporary artist, described Earth as "only one polka dot among a million stars," encapsulating her philosophy of infinity, connection, and humanity's place in the universe. This notion was central to her artistic practice, which centered around the repetition of patterns and organic forms to evoke a sense of no beginning or end.

Kusama's childhood experiences of hallucinations, where flowers and surroundings appeared to repeat infinitely, shaped her perception of the relationship between humans, nature, and the cosmos. This phenomenon, known as "self-obliteration," led her to create the Infinity Room, where covering one's body, canvas, or spaces with dots dissolves boundaries, fostering a deeper connection with the vast cosmos.

Kusama's art installations, such as the Infinity Mirror Rooms, use mirrored walls and LED lights to create illusions of endless space. Born and raised in a plant nursery in Matsumoto, Japan, Kusama's fascination with nature began during her formative years. She observed flowers, plants, and their life cycles, recognizing their interconnectedness with the larger cosmic forces.

Her recurring use of polka dots as cosmic symbols blurred the line between the microscopic and the infinite, with even a tiny dot representing a planet or a pumpkin reflecting the human soul. Kusama's iconic yellow and black pumpkins, adorned with repeated dots, have become celebrated images in contemporary art, as seen in her work "Pumpkins" (1998-2000), which portrays the vegetable form with a living presence, connecting it to her emotions and identity.