Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama dies at 97

Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama died in Tokyo on August 14 at the age of 97, a museum bearing her name announced on August 27, ERR reported.

Born in Matsumoto in 1929, Kusama began her career in Japan before moving to New York in 1957. She became an avant-garde artist there in the 1960s, working in painting, sculpture, installations and performance art. She was also involved in anti-war actions and was associated with New York’s experimental art scene at the time.

Her best-known motifs included repeated dots, net patterns and mirrored rooms that created the impression of endlessly repeated spaces.

Kusama’s international recognition grew particularly strongly in the 21st century. Her works became highlights of international exhibitions, and her art also featured in fashion and design collaborations. In 2022, a painting from her 1959 Infinity Nets series sold at auction for 10.5 million dollars.

She spoke publicly about hallucinations she had experienced since childhood and about her mental health problems. Kusama returned to Japan in 1973 and, from 1977, lived voluntarily in a psychiatric hospital in Tokyo while continuing to work at a nearby studio.

According to her representatives, Kusama continued painting until the last days of her life.