Acclaimed Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama has passed away aged 97.
The popular artist, who was known for her colorful art installations and surreal sculptures, died at a hospital in Tokyo on Aug. 14, the Yayoi Kusama Studio confirmed. “She continued to paint until her final days, never setting aside her brush, and continued exploration of forever love and eternal soul,” a statement from the studio read. “She continued to paint until her final days, never setting aside her brush, and continued exploration of forever love and eternal soul.”
Born in 1929, Kusama was a prolific artist known for her embrace of colorful motifs, vibrant polka dot designs, and abstract expressionism. Outside of sculptures and installations, she also painted, did performance art, wrote poetry, and had frequent involvement in the fashion industry. Her work has been exhibited all over the world, including at the Museum of Modern Art in New York, the Tate Modern in London, and the National Museum of Modern Art in Tokyo.
Throughout her career, she was open about her mental health struggles and revealed that she suffered from obsessive-compulsive disorder, hallucinations, and mania.
Despite the acclaim she received for her artwork, she faced criticism in 2023 for racist comments she made about Black people in her 2002 autobiography, Infinity Net. “I deeply regret using hurtful and offensive language in my book,” she said in response to the resurfaced comments, per The San Francisco Chronicle. “My message has always been one of love, hope, compassion, and respect for all people. My lifelong intention has been to lift up humanity through my art. I apologize for the pain I have caused.”
Several passages from the book were omitted from the English translation. Other writing from the artist, including a 1984 novel and a 1971 play, was also criticized for racist material. In an article for Vice News in 2017, Dexter Thomas, who is Black, said that he was banned from speaking with the artist after she deemed his questions “low-quality.”
