Japan's 'polka dot queen' artist Yayoi Kusama dies aged 97
The "polka dot queen" channeled hallucinations and battles with mental health into vibrant art featuring her trademark dots, nets and infinity motifs over a career spanning decades and continents.
Yayoi Kusama, the renowned Japanese artist known as the "polka dot queen," has passed away at the age of 97, according to her company's announcement on August 14. Dubbed the "polka dot queen," Kusama transformed her hallucinations and mental health struggles into vibrant art, characterized by her distinctive dots, nets, and infinity motifs.
She pursued an internationally acclaimed career as a pioneering avant-garde artist, spanning visual art, performance, fiction, and poetry throughout a lifetime devoted to creation. Born into a wealthy and conservative family and plagued by a domineering mother and philandering father, Kusama exhibited her unique style from the age of ten.
Her career took off in the 1950s when she moved to the United States and gained fame in New York's avant-garde scene. Despite facing discrimination as a Japanese woman in a male-dominated field, she became famous for her bold paintings and provocative happenings featuring body painting and polka dots. Upon returning to Japan in the 1970s, Kusama checked herself into a psychiatric hospital, where she resided and continued her artistic endeavors until her final days.
Her iconic infinity rooms, pumpkin sculptures, and immersive installations continue to attract crowds and have sold for millions of dollars worldwide. Kusama's legacy as a true visionary and advocate for boundless imagination has left an enduring impact on the art world.
Written by urgent.news from The Jakarta Post's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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