Japanese avant-garde artist Yayoi Kusama has died at the age of 97, according to an announcement on her official website. Kusama passed away on August 14, 2026, though no cause of death was provided.

Kusama was renowned for transforming her lifelong hallucinations into art, creating obsessive dot-covered paintings and pumpkin motifs that have been exhibited in museums and galleries worldwide. Her works include the iconic polka-dotted pumpkins and immersive "Infinity Rooms," which have left a lasting impact on contemporary art.

Born in Japan, Kusama left for New York at the age of 27, seeking freedom from the confining nature of Japanese society. There, she quickly gained recognition for her paintings inspired by hallucinations of flashing lights, dots, and flowers she had experienced since childhood. Kusama was also active in anti-war movements during the 1960s and reportedly influenced artists such as Andy Warhol.

Despite her success, Kusama was candid about her mental health struggles. Around 1977, after returning to Japan, she voluntarily entered a mental hospital where she lived for decades, commuting daily to her nearby studio. In 2017, she said, "I still see hallucinations even now. Dots come flying everywhere — on my dress, the floor, things I'm carrying, throughout the house, the ceiling. And I paint them."

Her pioneering body of work, ranging from "self-obliteration" themes to polka-dotted nudes, is expected to remain influential for years to come.

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