Creative Genius: Kusama Yayoi

World renowned artist, Kusama Yayoi was born on March 22, 1929 in Matsumoto, Nagano, Japan. Having been born into a conservative family not approving of her passion for art she moved to New York in the late 1950s and immersed herself in the thriving avant garde culture. It was because of her correspondence with, and love for American artist Georgia O’Keeffe that she was encouraged to find creative freedom in the United States.

Once in New York Kusama dealt with many difficulties being a lone Japanese woman without any support and limited English trying to enter a white male-dominated art industry. Originally coming from a wealthy family she was then struggling to survive with the bare minimum. Yet, her strength lied in being an outsider. It gave her the scope to keep reinventing herself and experimenting. She was able to touch upon taboo subjects such as sexuality, mental illness and political protest. However, it is believed that she was often not given credit or recognition when other artists such as Claes Oldenburg, Andy Warhol and later Lucas Samaras took inspiration (or copied?) from her work. This resulted in her isolating herself further and becoming depressed.

Her own mental difficulties including anxiety, depression and hallucinations became one of her main inspirations. The reasoning behind her famous repetitive polka-dot motif was, as she described a way to ‘self obliterate’ and disappear into her own artwork. The polka-dot she applied to everything from walls, animals, herself and nude models. Though it was the ‘infinity net’ paintings of white dots on huge white canvases which initially brought her fame. She progressed from this by creating infinity rooms where an audience is brought into the artwork and becomes part of an experience by interacting with it.      

Despite the difficulties she faced, Kusama showed boldness by pushing past the systemic bigotry of the art establishment. During the Venice Biennale of 1966 she entered without permission to showcase her installation, Narcissus Garden where she was individually selling metallic balls for $2 as a comment on the commercialisation of art. 

Since 1973 she has been back living in Japan moving between the psychiatric hospital where she lives and her studio where she spends most of her time. It was from the late 1980s onwards that the art world started giving Kusama more recognition making her globally famous. Social media has also added to her promotion with exhibitions amassing huge numbers of posts online. 

With an artistic journey marked by both personal struggle and determination, Kusama's art embodies her exploration of the subconscious, the cosmos, and the human experience. Through her signature polka dots, mesmerizing mirror rooms, and captivating sculptures, she invites viewers into a realm where reality and fantasy intertwine. Kusama's art is also deeply introspective, touching upon themes of identity, mental health, and the human condition. Her fearless approach to confronting personal challenges and channeling them into her art serves as a powerful reminder that art can be a transformative force, both for the creator and the observer. Her work encourages us to embrace our unique perspectives, embrace the unknown, and explore the depths of our creativity, unbound by convention or limitation.