Yayoi Kusama, Japanese artist who became a global superstar, dies aged 97

The Guardian UK Thursday 27 August 2026, 02:17 UTC By Tim Jonze and Sian Cain 1 min read

Key Points

From the 1950s to the 2020s, Kusama produced vivid paintings, sculptures and vast installations that often drew on her experience of hallucinationsYayoi Kusama, the Japanese outsider artist who reached superstar status after decades living in a psychiatric hospital, has died aged 97.Kusama died in a Tokyo hospital on 14 August, her studio announced in a statement on her website on Thursday.

From the 1950s to the 2020s, Kusama produced vivid paintings, sculptures and vast installations that often drew on her experience of hallucinations

Yayoi Kusama, the Japanese outsider artist who reached superstar status after decades living in a psychiatric hospital, has died aged 97.

Kusama died in a Tokyo hospital on 14 August, her studio announced in a statement on her website on Thursday.

Yayoi Kusama (PERSON) Japanese (ORG) Kusama (PERSON) Tokyo (LOCATION)

Originally published by The Guardian UK Read original →

Yayoi Kusama, Japanese artist who turned hallucinations into art, dies at 97 Japanese avant-garde artist Yayoi Kusama, who transformed hallucinations into art and was known for her obsessive dot-covered paintings and pumpkin motifs, has died at the age of 97. The announcement, made on her official website, said she died on August 14 but did not give a cause of death. Frustrated with the confining nature of Japanese society, Kusama left for New York at 27, where she quickly made a name for...

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Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama dies at 97

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Yayoi Kusama, whose art evoked hallucinatory wonder, dies at 97

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Yayoi Kusama, Japanese artist who became a global superstar, dies aged 97

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