Amsterdam's Stedelijk Museum opens a major Yayoi Kusama exhibition after her death last month

Amsterdam's Stedelijk Museum has unveiled a major Yayoi Kusama exhibition posthumously, just two weeks after the renowned Japanese artist passed away at the age of 97. The exhibition, opening this week, is a tribute to Kusama's life and work, showcasing her signature polka dots and repetitive motifs.

Designed by the artist herself, the centerpiece installation, titled "Infinity Mirrored Room -- The Hope Of The Polka Dots Buried In Infinity Will Eternally Cover The Universe," features yellow tentacles adorned with rhythmic patterns of dots, echoed on the floor and walls. Visitors are greeted by Kusama's dots on the museum's facade and on trees in Museum Square, reflecting the artist's use of these motifs to process hallucinations from a young age.

Among the displayed works is a large pumpkin covered in black dots of varying sizes, illustrating the artist's exploration of infinity and the universe. Kusama, who had strong ties to the Netherlands and the Stedelijk, was part of the ZERO movement in the 1960s and participated in a landmark exhibition there in 1965.

The exhibition spans several rooms, culminating in the Infinity Room, Coelewij's favorite part of the show. It offers a "hallucinating world" that immerses visitors in the artist's mind, aligning with Kusama's own testimony that she continued to fight for her art until the end of her life. The Stedelijk's Kusama exhibition runs until January 17.