Japanese Artist Yayoi Kusama Dies at Age 97
Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama, known for her polka-dot-covered paintings and provocative sculptures and performances that stirred up New York and Europe in the 1960s, has died at 97.
Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama has died at the age of 97, marking the loss of one of the most recognizable figures of her generation in the international art world.
A signature style
Kusama became widely known for her paintings covered in distinctive polka-dot patterns, a motif that came to define her artistic identity and made her work instantly recognizable around the globe.
Stirring controversy in the 1960s
Beyond painting, she created sculptures with phallic forms and staged public performances that drew significant public attention in their time. During the 1960s, these works and appearances caused a considerable stir both in New York City and across Europe, establishing Kusama as one of the era's most talked-about and polarizing art-world figures.
A lasting presence
Kusama is counted among the artists associated with the pop art movement. Her career stood out both for her willingness to continually expand the boundaries of her work and for her ability to remain relevant and recognized for decades after the initial wave of attention she received in the 1960s. That sustained presence on the international art scene is cited as one of the defining features of her legacy.
