Yayoi Kusama’s art of self-obliteration, in the age of the selfie

Yayoi Kusama's distinctive art style, characterized by her self-obliteration installations and introspective self-portraits, has captured the imagination of art enthusiasts for decades. Her groundbreaking Infinity Net series, featuring hypnotic grid-like patterns covering every surface, was a coping mechanism born from her childhood abuse and early hallucinations, which she developed in New York in the late 1950s.

One of her most recognizable works, the iconic yellow, polka-dotted pumpkin, remains afloat in the waters of Victoria Harbour even after enduring a freak tide. Kusama suffered from hallucinations as a child and found solace in the repetitive act of creating her Infinity Net, which eventually permeated much of her work throughout her career.

Despite being a prominent figure in the male-dominated abstract expressionist movement, Kusama's art was about finding inner peace and harmony, rather than asserting her own self-importance.

Her self-portrait, a humble outline of a face resembling Kusama herself, was surrounded by the Infinity Net in a striking yellow on a black background. This minimalist approach reflected her awareness of the insignificance of individual existence, even as she continued to create work that spoke to her innermost thoughts and feelings. Kusama's art transcended the boundaries of self-assertion, embracing a quiet surrender and the understanding that staying afloat sometimes means letting go of the need to hold on tightly.