Yayoi Kusama dies at 97, weeks before Amsterdam show

Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama, renowned for her polka dots, pumpkins and mirrored infinity rooms, has passed away at the age of 97. Her death occurred just over two weeks before a major retrospective of her work opens at Amsterdam’s Stedelijk Museum, transforming the exhibition into a posthumous homage.

Kusama's artistic journey began in her childhood, where she channeled her distressing visions and hallucinations into repeated nets, dots, and other motifs that would later define her signature style. In the late 1950s, she relocated to New York and became an integral part of the city’s avant-garde art scene. Returning to Japan in 1973, she voluntarily resided in a Tokyo psychiatric hospital, where she continued to create art daily until her death.

The Stedelijk Museum’s retrospective, set to open on September 11 and run until January 17, marks the final leg of a European tour that commenced at the Fondation Beyeler near Basel and proceeded to Cologne’s Museum Ludwig. The exhibition showcases over 300 works spanning more than seven decades, including pieces never previously displayed in Europe and new installations specifically created for this showcase.

Kusama’s dedication to her craft was unwavering until her final days, with her studio affirming that she never ceased painting.