Morning!
🧿 Dear readers of Bir17, today we’re taking a trip to East Asia because today’s bit of knowledge is about the Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama. And of course, it’s just for you and only for you… 🫵🏻
Before we dive into Yayoi Kusama, let’s take a moment to explore the term avant-garde. Derived from French, avant-garde refers to innovative, experimental, and unconventional approaches in art and culture. One of Yayoi Kusama’s defining characteristics is her ability to produce avant-garde works. She is one of the most significant living artists, with pieces spanning multiple disciplines. She is also famously known for her obsession with polka dots—so much so that she has even been called the Princess of Polka Dots. Heavily influenced by post-World War II artistic developments, she created works tied to minimalism, feminism, and pop art. Speaking of polka dots, you’re probably wondering where her fascination with them comes from. We assure you, dear readers, that this curiosity will lead you to a profoundly deep story—keep reading. 🎨
Kusama’s use of polka dots in her works is about much more than aesthetic preference. Born on March 22, 1929, Kusama has been experiencing vivid hallucinations filled with dots covering her surroundings since childhood. These visions deeply influenced her artistic perspective, turning polka dots into a central motif in her work. She began incorporating dots in different forms and meanings—representing concepts such as infinity and the universe. By covering surfaces with repetitive dots, she created a sense of boundlessness and merged objects with their surroundings. Kusama’s art frequently explores themes of self-dissolution, often blending herself into her dotted environments. This technique reflects her desire to merge with the world and disappear within it.
Of course, there’s also the aspect of mental health. Her repetitive dot patterns serve as a medium for expressing her struggles. Kusama has openly discussed her battles with obsessive-compulsive disorder and hallucinations, seeing art as a healing outlet for these experiences. In fact, she made the decision to live in a psychiatric hospital by choice.
Her world-renowned works, such as Infinity Mirror Rooms and Obliteration Room, offer breathtaking experiences. Obliteration Room, for example, is an interactive installation where visitors are invited to place colorful dot stickers inside an entirely white room. As the exhibition progresses, the room transforms into a vibrant, collaborative work of art. 🖌
In 2017, her exhibition Yayoi Kusama: Infinity Mirror Rooms at the Hirshhorn Museum in Washington, D.C., became one of the most visited exhibitions in the museum’s history. Kusama’s work represents a fusion of Japanese cultural elements and Western art, giving it a universal appeal.
Her relentless pursuit of self-expression and her ability to transform personal struggles into art that resonates with a global audience have left an undeniable mark on contemporary art history. Her work is a deep reflection of her inner world and a powerful commentary on the human experience.
Since 1977, Kusama has spent her nights in a psychiatric hospital in Tokyo, while dedicating her days to working in her massive three-story studio.
Her artworks sell for astonishing prices, continuously breaking records. For instance, her Pumpkin artwork sold for £6.4 million in April 2023. At the time this article was written, her most expensive piece ever sold was auctioned in New York in 2022 for $10,496,000 USD.
Kusama is living proof of how even negative experiences can be transformed into something positive when filtered through the right lens.
Dear readers, life is complex. The people who live in it are multi-layered. But that’s nothing to be afraid of. It’s as natural as the sea being blue, the mountains being high, and the simple truth that we wouldn’t fully appreciate joy without experiencing sorrow.
You’re now ready to take on the day,
Bir17 Team 🧿