Yayoi Kusama, the Japanese avant-garde artist renowned for her polka-dot motifs, pumpkin sculptures, and immersive infinity mirror installations, died on August 14, 2026, in a Tokyo hospital at the age of 97. Her studio confirmed her passing and noted that she continued to work on her art until her final days.
Born on March 22, 1929, in Matsumoto, Japan, Kusama grew up in a prosperous family that managed plant nurseries. From an early age, she experienced vivid hallucinations, which she later translated into recurring themes in her artwork. Despite resistance from her parents, who did not support her artistic ambitions, Kusama pursued formal art education in Kyoto before moving to the United States in 1957. She initially lived in Seattle before settling in New York, where she became involved with the avant-garde scene, exhibiting alongside figures such as Donald Judd and Andy Warhol.
Kusama’s work encompassed numerous disciplines, including painting, sculpture, installation, performance, fiction, and poetry. She became known for her “Infinity Net” paintings—large canvases covered in meticulous, repetitive brushstrokes—and for “Accumulation Sculptures,” which involved covering everyday objects with sewn fabric phalluses. During the 1960s, she gained attention for her provocative public performances, including “Body Festivals,” where naked volunteers were painted with polka dots in strategic locations as part of her anti-Vietnam War activism.
Her artistic approach often centered on themes of infinity, self-obliteration, and confronting personal fears, drawing directly from the hallucinations and psychological struggles she endured throughout her life. Kusama was candid about her mental health challenges and voluntarily admitted herself to a psychiatric hospital in Tokyo in 1977, a residence she maintained while continuing to produce art prolifically.
After returning to Japan in the early 1970s, Kusama navigated changing art world dynamics and economic shifts, turning to collage-making, writing novels and poetry, and eventually reviving her large-scale installations. Her infinity mirror rooms, first developed decades earlier, attracted widespread global popularity in recent years, becoming major museum attractions and social media phenomena known for their immersive environments and reflective surfaces.
Kusama’s commercial success was significant, with her works consistently fetching millions at auction—the 2014 sale of one of her Infinity Net paintings set records for living female artists. She also cultivated a distinctive public image, often appearing in brightly colored wigs and polka-dotted garments, further cementing her status as a cultural icon.
Her legacy extends beyond her prolific output to influence both contemporary art practices and popular culture worldwide. Major retrospectives of her work have been mounted by prominent institutions globally, and a dedicated Yayoi Kusama Museum opened in Tokyo in 2017. Kusama received numerous honors, including Japan’s Order of the Rising Sun in 2006, recognizing her contributions to the arts.
Tributes following her death highlighted her enduring influence and the inspirational nature of her work, which combined visual innovation with profound expressions of personal and universal themes. Kusama’s studio has pledged to carry forward her artistic vision to continue bringing hope and strength to audiences around the world. Details regarding her surviving family and arrangements for public memorials are expected to be announced.