Yayoi Kusama
ABOUT THE ARITST
Yayoi Kusama is a Japanese artist known for her immersive, repetitive visual language and her influential role in contemporary art. Working across painting, sculpture, installation, and performance, she often uses polka dots, nets, and mirrored environments to explore themes of infinity, self-obliteration, and psychological intensity. Kusama began her career in Japan and later moved to New York in the 1950s, where she became associated with avant-garde movements such as Pop Art and Minimalism, though she always maintained a distinctly personal style. Her “Infinity Mirror Rooms” have become iconic for their ability to transform space and perception, inviting viewers into seemingly endless universes. Throughout her life, Kusama has openly discussed her mental health experiences, which deeply inform her art and give her work emotional resonance and vulnerability.
PROJECTS:
ADDRESS:
Naoshima, Kagawa District, Kagawa 761-3110, Japan
DISCRIPTION:
Pumpkin is one of Yayoi Kusama’s most recognizable outdoor sculptures and has become a visual symbol of Naoshima Island. Installed on a pier near Benesse House, the large yellow form covered in black polka dots sits directly against the sea, creating a strong contrast between art and landscape. Kusama has used the pumpkin motif throughout her career, associating it with comfort, humor, and personal memory. On Naoshima, the sculpture’s simple shape and bold patterning echo the island’s calm atmosphere while remaining instantly striking. Its placement allows visitors to experience the work alongside shifting light, weather, and tides, reinforcing Kusama’s interest in repetition and infinity. Over time, the sculpture has helped define Naoshima’s identity as an open-air museum where contemporary art is integrated into everyday surroundings.
ACCESS:
FREE: Accessible at all hours.
NOTES:
In 2021 the sculpture was washed from it's location on the pier by a typhoon. It was repaired and reinstalled in 2022. This is one of Naoshima's most iconic works of art. There is another free Kusama Pumpkin (Red) on the island near the Ferry Marine Station.
ADDRESS:
2249-49 宮浦 直島町 Naoshima, Kagawa District, Kagawa 761-3110, Japan
DISCRIPTION:
Yayoi Kusama’s *Red Pumpkin* on Naoshima is a bold red sculpture dotted with black circles, located at Miyanoura Port. Its hollow interior allows visitors to enter, while light passing through the openings creates dynamic patterns, combining playfulness with Kusama’s signature exploration of repetition and immersive space. You can enter the pumpkin which has
ACCESS:
FREE: Accessible at all hours.
NOTES:
One of two Kusama pumpkins on the island. This one is interactive you and are are able to enter.
IMAGE CREDITS:
Images: (1-4) John Seb Barber (5-9) Merec0
NEW YORK BOTANICAL GARDEN [ARCHIVE]
New York City, NY - United States
In 2021 Yayoi Kusama had an extensive body of work on display at the New York Botanical Garden. This work is no longer on display.
EVERY DAY I PRAY FOR LOVE [ARCHIVE]
New York City, NY - United States
In 2021 Yayoi Kusama had an exhibit at David Zwirner Gallery in Chelsea. This work is no longer on display.
NARCISSUS GARDEN [ARCHIVE]
New York City, NY - United States
In 2018 Kusama exhibited her Narcissus Garden at Fort Tilden in New York City as part of MoMA PS1’s Rockaway Arts Festival. This work is no longer on display.
MISON LV [ARCHIVE]
Paris - France
In 2023 Yayoi Kusama had a massive sculpture of herself erected directly across from Samaritaine on the headquarters of Louis Vuitton. The sculpture depicted Kusama painting dots on the building. This work is no longer on display.
