Artist Yayoi Kusama, known for her distinctive vibrant polka dot creations, dies aged 97
Renowned avant-garde Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama has passed away at the age of 97 in Tokyo. Known for her iconic polka dot patterns, pumpkin sculptures, and immersive infinity rooms, she leaves behind a legacy of influential contemporary art.
Why it matters
Kusama was one of the most influential living artists of the 21st century, and her death marks the end of a significant era in contemporary visual art.
AVANT-GARDE JAPANESE ARTIST Yayoi Kusama, known for her distinctive vibrant polka dot creations, has died at the age of 97.
She was also well known for her pumpkins, which were a signature of her art from the 1940s onwards, and her infinity room mirrors.
Large-scale sculpture, 'Pumpkin' (2024), by Yayoi Kusama in situ by The Round Pond in Kensington Gardens, London Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo
A statement from her company and studio on Thursday said: “It is with profound sorrow that the passing of Yayoi Kusama, at a hospital in Tokyo on 14 August 2026, at the age of 97.
“Throughout an extraordinary lifetime devoted entirely to artistic creation, Kusama pursued an internationally acclaimed career as a pioneering avant-garde artist whose creative practice encompassed visual art, performance, fiction, and poetry.
Yayoi Kusama creates a new artwork in Shinjuku Ward, Tokyo in 2015 Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo
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