YAYOI KUSAMA: CELEBRATING THE ARTIST WHO TURNED POLKA DOTS INTO A WORLD OF HER OWN

There are few artists whose work you can recognise almost instantly — and Yayoi Kusama was certainly one of them.

The pioneering Japanese avant-garde artist, whose extraordinary career spanned more than seven decades, passed away in Tokyo on 14 August 2026 at the age of 97. Her studio announced the news on 27 August, describing a lifetime devoted entirely to artistic creation. Kusama continued to paint until her final days.

Born in Matsumoto, Japan, in 1929, Kusama began creating art from a young age, developing the distinctive visual language that would eventually make her one of the most recognisable artists in the world.

Her work was never exactly about blending in.

From her early Infinity Net paintings and soft sculptures to her immersive Infinity Mirror Rooms, Kusama built an artistic universe around repetition, dots, mirrors, colour and the idea of infinity. Her work transformed galleries and museums into completely immersive environments — places where you could quite literally lose yourself in the art.

And yes, there were a lot of dots.

But behind the instantly recognisable aesthetic was an artist who spent her career pushing boundaries.

Kusama moved to New York in 1957, entering the city’s avant-garde scene at a time when the art world was largely dominated by men. During the 1960s, she staged provocative performances and happenings, created experimental sculptures and challenged ideas around sexuality, identity, consumerism and the role of women in society.

Her work was ambitious, unconventional and often decades ahead of its time.

After returning to Japan in the 1970s, Kusama continued to create across painting, sculpture, installation, performance, film, fiction and poetry. Her career would eventually experience a remarkable resurgence, with her immersive installations attracting huge audiences around the world.

Her Infinity Mirror Rooms became particularly iconic, introducing millions of people to her work and turning the gallery experience into something deeply personal, immersive and, in the age of social media, highly shareable.

But Kusama’s influence extends far beyond the Instagram-friendly polka dots.

She helped challenge what contemporary art could look like, who could make it and how audiences could experience it. Her work crossed the boundaries between art, fashion, design and popular culture, including her highly recognisable collaborations with Louis Vuitton.

Kusama became a global cultural icon without ever losing the visual language that made her work unmistakably her own.

Her career is also a reminder that recognition does not always happen overnight. After decades of experimentation, periods of relative obscurity and an uncompromising commitment to her practice, Kusama became one of the most celebrated artists of her generation.

Today, her work continues to be exhibited and experienced by audiences around the world.

Her legacy is not simply a collection of dots, pumpkins and mirror rooms. It is a reminder of what can happen when an artist refuses to stop imagining — and refuses to create according to someone else’s rules.

From avant-garde provocateur to global cultural icon, Yayoi Kusama created a universe entirely her own.

And she filled it with dots.

A remarkable life. An unmistakable vision. An infinite legacy.

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