Japanese avant-garde artist Yayoi Kusama, renowned globally for her unique modern art, passed away on August 14 at a hospital in Tokyo at the age of 97. The news was officially announced on August 27 by Yayoi Kusama's official website.
Yayoi Kusama was born in Matsumoto, Nagano Prefecture, in 1929. From a young age, she experienced visual and auditory hallucinations, which inspired her to create paintings primarily featuring polka dots and net patterns. In 1957, she moved to the United States, establishing New York as her creative base. There, she unveiled avant-garde works such as her "Infinity Nets" paintings, soft sculptures, and immersive installations utilizing mirrors and lights.
Her key artistic theme was "self-obliteration," formed by the continuous repetition and proliferation of a single motif. She expanded her creative scope to include body painting, happenings, filmmaking, and even publishing newspapers, gradually solidifying her status in the international avant-garde art scene.
After returning to Japan in 1973, she continued her artistic endeavors, delving into poetry and novel writing, and creating outdoor sculptures and large-scale installations. Between 2009 and 2021, she produced approximately 900 paintings, forming her "My Eternal Soul" series. In 2021, she began a new painting series titled "I Pray for Love Every Day." Despite her advanced age, she remained actively creative, continuously exploring the possibilities of art with themes of nature, love, and infinity transcending life and death.
In the "Announcement of Yayoi Kusama's Passing" released on her official website, her lifelong artistic achievements were recounted. The statement noted that she "dedicated her entire life to avant-garde artistic creation and international activities across various fields, with fine art at its core, including performance art, novels, and poetry. She never put down her brush until her last moment, continuously exploring eternal love and the soul throughout her 97 years of life."
The announcement also stated: "We will inherit the artist's will and continue to bring hope and strength for the future to people worldwide through art."
via： 草間彌生の公式サイト