Japanese avant-garde artist Yayoi Kusama, renowned for her colourful polka dots, pumpkins and Infinity Mirror Rooms, has died aged 97.

Kusama died at a hospital in Tokyo on 14 August, according to a statement from her company. She continued creating art until her final days.

Throughout her long career, Kusama became one of Japan’s most internationally recognised artists and a global cultural icon. Her exhibitions attracted millions of visitors, while her distinctive works became highly sought after by collectors around the world.

Her company described her career as an extraordinary lifetime devoted entirely to artistic creation, spanning visual art, performance, fiction and poetry.

Kusama became particularly famous for her Infinity Mirror Rooms, where mirrors and lights create the illusion of endless spaces. Her colourful polka-dot sculptures and pumpkin artworks also became defining features of her style.

Born in 1929 in Matsumoto, in Japan’s Nagano region, Kusama experienced hallucinations as a child. She later used these experiences as inspiration for her artwork.

She moved to New York in the late 1950s and became involved in the city’s avant-garde art scene. Her work challenged conventions through performances, installations and sculptures, including controversial pieces featuring phallic forms and nudity.

However, Kusama became frustrated after seeing ideas similar to hers gain greater recognition through prominent male artists. She eventually returned to Japan after years of struggling for recognition.

Kusama voluntarily lived in a psychiatric hospital in Tokyo for decades, while continuing to work from a nearby studio. She credited the secure environment with allowing her to focus on creating art.

Her reputation grew dramatically later in life. In 1993, she became Japan’s first solo artist to represent the country at the Venice Biennale, decades after she had attended the event uninvited and displayed hundreds of mirror balls.

Her international recognition continued to rise, with major exhibitions held around the world. A major retrospective in Basel in 2025 featured her trademark polka-dot installations.

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Kusama’s work also became commercially successful. One of her paintings sold for about $10.5m (£7.7m) at auction in 2022, placing her among the highest-earning female artists in the world.

Her Infinity Mirror Rooms became particularly popular with younger audiences, with social media helping to introduce her work to millions of people.

She was also known for her bright red wig and distinctive appearance, becoming a cultural icon far beyond the traditional art world.

Kusama’s company said she continued painting until the end of her life and hoped that her art would continue to bring hope and strength to people around the world.

(BBC News)