Spot the Dot: Yayoi Kusama

Yayoi Kusama, 82, is best known for her polka dot obsession; she started painting at age 10 — applying polka dots to canvases, trees, entire rooms, and even people. She has described herself as an "obsessive artist", having a fascination with repetition, pattern, and accumulation.

Yayoi Kusama

With a practice encompassing performance, film-making, painting, drawing, sculpture, installation, fashion, poetry, fiction and public spectacles (or 'happenings') over some 60 years, this leading Japanese practitioner has been widely acknowledged as a major influence on several generations of contemporary artists.

Polka Dot Trees

Tsumari in Bloom

Installation view of The obliteration room 2011 as part of ‘Yayoi Kusama: Look Now, See Forever’, Gallery of Modern Art, 2011

Installation view of Flowers that Bloom at Midnight 2010–11 and a selection of paintings from 2009–10 in ‘Yayoi Kusama: Look Now, See Forever’, Gallery of Modern Art, 2011

Installation view of Dots Obsession 2011 as part of ‘Yayoi Kusama: Look Now, See Forever’, Gallery of Modern Art, 2011

Pumpkins:
Pumpkins are an important motif in Yayoi Kusama’s work, a fascination that extends from the artist’s youth during the years of World War 2.

Installation view of Reach Up to the Universe, Dotted Pumpkin 2011 as part of ‘Yayoi Kusama: Look Now, See Forever’, Gallery of Modern Art, 2011

 Collaborations in 2012:

Artistic director for Louis Vuitton, Marc Jacobs has decided to collaborate with Kusama on a wide range of products including leather goods, ready-to-wear, accessories, shoes, watches, and jewelry. The pieces will be in Vuitton boutiques in early July, accompanied by creative window installations.

Although this collaboration is exciting and new, it will not be showcased on the runway at Paris Fashion Week on March 7.

 
What do you think about this collaboration? Are you as Q-rious as I am?

Click here if you would like to see the 'Infinitely Kusama' Collection