Yayoi Kusama, the renowned Japanese artist celebrated for her distinctive use of polka dots and immersive installations, passed away in Tokyo on August 14 at the age of 97. Over her long career, Kusama's work encompassed a wide range of media, including painting, sculpture, installation, performance, film, fashion, and literature, leaving an indelible mark on contemporary art.

Born in 1929 in rural Japan, Kusama defied early societal expectations for women by pursuing art from a young age. Her signature motifs—polka dots, nets, pumpkins, and repetitive patterns—have become iconic and are closely tied to themes of infinity, accumulation, love, life, and death. Kusama described polka dots as "a way to infinity," reflecting their central role across her oeuvre.

One of Kusama’s earliest immersive installations, “Aggregation: One Thousand Boats Show,” debuted in December 1963 at the Gertrude Stein Gallery. This installation highlighted her evolving exploration of space and pattern. A later work, “Pumpkin,” exemplifies her enduring fascination with the pumpkin motif, which she linked to a childhood experience in her parents’ plant nursery in Matsumoto. Describing an early auditory and visual hallucination involving a pumpkin speaking to her, Kusama imbued the image with personal and symbolic significance. The meticulously detailed polka dots spread across the bright yellow pumpkin and its surroundings in this painting demonstrate her meticulous repetition and vibrant style developed after 1977 in her Tokyo studio across from Seiwa Hospital, where she chose to live for much of her life.

Kusama further pushed the boundaries of experiential art with her series of “Infinity Mirror Rooms,” which gained global acclaim starting in the early 2000s. These installations use mirrors to create kaleidoscopic spaces filled with countless reflected lights, producing immersive environments that evoke a sense of boundlessness and self-reflection. The first of such mirrored rooms, “Phallies Field,” was created in 1965 and featured soft, polka-dot-covered phallic forms. Subsequent rooms incorporated polka-dot pumpkins, columns, and furniture, all designed to dissolve the viewer's sense of self and transcend physical limitations. Kusama described these spaces as “subtle planetariums,” intended to inspire awe and contemplation of the infinite.

Despite the original intentions of these works to erase boundaries and the self, Kusama’s art has also become a beacon for individual affirmation. The widespread popularity of “Infinity Mirror Rooms,” often drawing lines of visitors eager to capture selfies, underscores their cultural impact. Kusama herself acknowledged the continuing influence of her creativity, stating that even after her death, her spirit would continue to generate new art.

Through her persistent exploration of repetition, infinity, and the cosmos, Kusama’s legacy extends beyond the canvas and gallery walls to embrace a universal sense of connection and participation in the larger world.