Artist: Yayoi Kusama
Title: Pumpkin (Blue)
Medium: Giclee Print on Synthetic Paper
Size: 59.4 x 54.6 cm
Edition: 500
Price: CHF 2,200
Yayoi Kusama is a globally celebrated contemporary Japanese artist whose prolific career spans painting, sculpture, installation art, film, photography, and writing. Born in Matsumoto, Japan, in 1929, Kusama’s work is instantly recognizable for its obsessive repetition of dots and nets, motifs she has used since childhood as a way to cope with hallucinations. These patterns reflect her lifelong struggles with mental illness, a deeply personal element central to her artistic expression.
Kusama moved to New York City in the late 1950s, where she quickly became a fixture in the avant-garde scene, associating with artists like Andy Warhol and Claes Oldenburg. She was a pioneer of the pop art movement, minimalism, and feminist art. During the 1960s, she gained notoriety for her provocative "happenings," public performances often involving nudity and body painting, which protested social and political issues of the time.
Upon returning to Japan in the 1970s, Kusama voluntarily admitted herself to a psychiatric hospital, where she has lived by choice ever since, working from a nearby studio. This institutional setting has not hindered her productivity; rather, her later career has seen a massive resurgence in global popularity.
Her most famous creations include the "Infinity Mirror Rooms," immersive installations that use mirrors and lights to create the illusion of infinite space, completely enveloping the viewer in her signature polka-dot world. These installations have become cultural phenomena, drawing immense crowds to museums worldwide. Kusama’s art explores themes of infinity, self-obliteration, and the cosmos, offering a vibrant, playful, yet profound commentary on life and death. At over 90 years old, Yayoi Kusama remains a vital, active force in the art world, with her highly distinctive style continuing to captivate audiences and inspire generations.
Tuesday, December 2, 2025 
