**Yayoi Kusama, Japan’s ‘Queen of Polka Dots,’ Dies at 97**
Yayoi Kusama, the renowned Japanese artist celebrated for her distinctive polka-dot paintings, pumpkin sculptures, and immersive installations known as “Infinity Mirror Rooms,” has passed away at the age of 97. Her death was announced by her company, revealing that she succumbed to multiple organ failure at a hospital in Tokyo on August 14, 2026.
Kusama's artistic journey began in her childhood, marked by a troubled family life in Matsumoto, Japan, where she was born in 1929. She began drawing at a young age, using her experiences with hallucinations as inspiration for her art. “I still see hallucinations even now,” she shared in a 2017 interview. “Dots come flying everywhere – on my dress, the floor, things I’m carrying, throughout the house, the ceiling. And I paint them.” This unique perspective led her to create vibrant works featuring repetitive motifs, predominantly dots, which would become her signature style.
In the late 1950s, Kusama moved to the United States, where she quickly gained recognition in New York's avant-garde art scene. She became known for her net paintings and soft sculptures, as well as for organizing body painting events as a form of protest against the Vietnam War. Her time in the U.S. was pivotal, allowing her to connect with influential artists and movements, including minimalism and pop art.
Kusama returned to Japan in 1973 and voluntarily checked into a psychiatric hospital in Tokyo four years later. Despite her circumstances, she continued to create art, being transported daily to her studio. Her work during this period included the exploration of infinity, love, and the soul, which she expressed through her characteristic motifs.
Throughout her career, Kusama's art evolved, leading to her becoming a global icon. Her installations, particularly the Infinity Mirror Rooms, captivated audiences and drew large crowds to exhibitions worldwide. In her later years, she collaborated with major fashion brands, including Louis Vuitton, and her designs appeared on various consumer products, from teacups to T-shirts.
Kusama's influence on the art world was profound, with her works commanding high prices at auctions. Notably, her painting "Untitled (Nets)" from 1959 sold for $10.5 million in 2022. In recognition of her contributions to the arts, she received the Order of Culture, Japan's highest honor for artists, in 2016.
David Zwirner, an art dealer who represented Kusama for 15 years, remarked on her significance, stating that she was “without a doubt the most famous living artist in the world” at the time of her passing. He emphasized her impact on various art movements, noting that her work influenced the histories of minimalism, pop art, and performance art.
Kusama's legacy as the "queen of polka dots" will endure, as her art continues to resonate with audiences around the globe. Her exploration of themes related to infinity and the cosmos, encapsulated in her famous quote, “Our earth is only one polka dot among a million stars in the cosmos,” reflects her unique vision and enduring spirit as an artist.