Yayoi Kusama Created Fantastical 'Infinity Mirror Rooms' That Became the Art World's Most Famous Backdrops. Her Work Spanned Counterculture to the Cosmos
The Japanese artist, who died on August 14 at 97, sought solace from hallucinations in her art, developing a visual language of polka dots, pumpkins and mirrors that entranced the world
Yayoi Kusama, an artist renowned for her "infinity mirror rooms," became the most recognizable name in the art world during the 1960s. These rooms featured mirrors and reflective surfaces that created the illusion of endless, whimsical environments. Kusama's fascination with repetitive patterns began at age ten, when she started drawing and painting as a means of coping with terrifying hallucinations.
She moved to New York in 1958, and although she destroyed many of her early paintings, she found success with her "infinity net" paintings. Artist Joseph Cornell, 26 years her senior, became a close friend and helped her obtain residency status in the United States. Kusama's "infinity mirror rooms," first created in 1965, were a pivotal moment in her career, solidifying her status as a global icon.
Despite facing challenges in a male-dominated art world, Kusama maintained a consistent artistic vision, drawing from her original work and motifs.
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