Yayoi Kusama never stopped creating until her death at 97. Here’s what she said about productivity and aging.

Yayoi Kusama, the renowned Japanese artist known for her polka dot patterns and immersive Infinity Mirror Rooms, has passed away at the age of 97 in Tokyo. Despite her terminal illness, Kusama continued to paint until her final days. In her official statement, her website revealed that she died in a Tokyo hospital on August 14. Kusama's artistic journey began in her childhood, marked by visions and hallucinations that influenced her work.

She started exhibiting her art in Japan during the 1950s and later became part of New York's avant-garde scene in 1957. Kusama's prolific output included the famous Infinity Nets series and her signature Infinity Mirror Rooms. Despite experiencing psychiatric struggles, including voluntary hospitalization in 1977, Kusama's dedication to art never wavered.

In interviews, she emphasized the importance of her daily creative practice, often working 50 to 60 hours straight and staying up late into the night. Even as she entered her 90s, Kusama remained committed to her art, stating that she never runs out of ideas and continues to create new works.