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Yayoi Kusama dies at 97
Kusama turned dots, pumpkins and mirrors into a global visual language over more than six decades.
What happened
Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama died in a Tokyo hospital on 14 August. Her studio announced her death on 27 August. Known for polka dots, pumpkins and mirror installations, she worked across painting, sculpture, performance, film and writing. She continued painting until her final days.
Numbers
- 97Kusama’s age at death
- 14 AugDate of her death
- Over 60 yearsLength of her career
Questions
- What were her Infinity Rooms?
- They used mirrors, lights and reflective surfaces to create the impression of endless space, extending her use of repetition beyond paintings.
- Why did repetition become central?
- Kusama linked her recurring dots and net patterns to hallucinations she experienced in childhood, which she transformed into a sustained artistic language.
- How did her standing change?
- After early resistance in Japan, overseas museum shows expanded from the nineteen-eighties; representing Japan at Venice increased her recognition.
- What arrangements follow her death?
- A private funeral has been held for relatives, and organisers plan a later public farewell gathering to mark her life.
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The catch
Coverage differs on whether multiple organ failure was identified as the cause of death.
Her studio announcement gave no cause.