Yayoi Kusama

Kusama in her installation, Dots Obsession, (2011).

In her early works, Kusama’s subjects included trees, flowers, eggs, and seeds. The details—such as eyes, dots, and tadpole-like shapes became part of her personal vocabulary of forms.

While she was living in New York City in the 1960s, Kusama made her first sculptures. She covered objects like furniture, clothing, shoes, (and even boats!) with a whole bunch (or accumulation) of stuffed fabric shapes.

Kusama dares to be different. In Japan she wore modern clothing, and in New York she put on traditional Japanese clothes. In Walking Piece (1966) she walks all the way across Manhattan on 14th Street wearing a traditional Japanese kimono and carrying a flowery umbrella.

This is a poster design for a film that Kusama made about what she calls “self-obliteration”—totally losing herself in her work. In the film, she covers animals, plants, and a person with polka dots and leaves.

Kusama begins her recent paintings by covering the surface with a single color, often a bold one, She then adds images—including dots, nets, flowers, eyes, and portraits—using just a few more colors.

Here is Kusama in Tokyo, Japan with her latest paintings. Kusama has called her work “art-medicine”— for herself and for everyone else.

Kusama in one of her installations titled Yellow Tree (2010).

Yayoi Kusama is one of Japan’s most well-known contemporary artists. Her exhibition at the Whitney includes paintings, drawings, sculpture, and installations. Check out Dots Obsession, (2009-2012), Kusama’s installation of huge vinyl balloons.