Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama dies at 97
Yayoi Kusama, whose polka-dot works and immersive Infinity Mirror Rooms made her one of the world’s most recognisable contemporary artists, has died aged 97.
In short
- Yayoi Kusama, whose polka-dot works and immersive Infinity Mirror Rooms made her one of the world’s most recognisable contemporary artists, has died aged 97.
Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama, known internationally for her polka-dot paintings, sculptures and immersive installations, has died aged 97, her company announced on Thursday, August 27, 2026.
Yayoi Kusama Inc said the artist died in a Tokyo hospital on August 14. Two configured news sources independently reported the announcement.
Kusama built a career spanning more than seven decades, producing vivid paintings, sculptures and large installations. Her widely exhibited Infinity Mirror Rooms used mirrors, light and repeated forms to create immersive environments, while recurring dots became a defining feature of her work.
Her art often drew on hallucinations she experienced. Kusama achieved global recognition after decades of work and continued producing art while living voluntarily in a psychiatric hospital in Tokyo.
The announcement closes the career of an artist whose distinctive visual language moved from the postwar avant-garde into museums and popular culture around the world.
