Yayoi Kusama, who splashed polka dots across art world, dies at 97

Key Points:

• Renowned Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama, famous for her signature polka dot motifs across paintings, sculptures, and installations, died at age 97 on August 14 in Tokyo, with no cause of death specified.
• Kusama remained dedicated to her art until her final days, exploring themes of eternal love and the soul, and was celebrated globally with exhibitions at major museums such as MoMA and the Whitney.
• Despite lifelong struggles with mental illness and periods of hospitalization, Kusama pioneered contemporary art as one of the first Japanese women in New York's art scene from 1957, gaining later fame and collaborations with brands like Louis Vuitton.
• Her work, characterized by repetitive dots and psychedelic patterns, earned her prestigious honors including Japan’s Order of Culture in 2016, and she expressed a lifelong commitment to inspiring interest in her art beyond her lifetime.
• Kusama was known for her bold artistic vision and personal vulnerability, blending avant-garde, pop, and feminist elements, and maintained a prolific output that included films and novels alongside her visual art.