The Joyful Art of Yayoi Kusama

Yayoi Kusama died in Tokyo on August 14. She was 97 years old.

“She continued to paint until her final days, never setting aside her brush, and continued exploration of forever love and eternal soul,” the studio’s statement said. “We will carry forward Kusama’s wishes and, through art, continue to bring hope and strength for the future to people around the world.”

Kusama inspired the art of Andy Warhol and Claes Oldenburg though she was largely ignored by the art world until years later when a revival of pop art catapulted her to success in the 1980s. Today, she is recognized as the world's top selling female artist. In 2008, Christie’s auctioned her work for $5.8 million. In 2016, she won the most prestigious award Japan gives its artists, the Order of Culture.

Though she suffered with mental illness throughout her life, her art was brilliant in joyful expression. In the poem below, she shares her desire to leave the world with beautiful footprints, her art adorning it with more joy and love for all to experience.

RESIDING IN A CASTLE OF SHED TEARS

When the time comes around for people to encounter the end of their life having put on years, death seems to be quietly approaching.
It was not supposed to be my style to be frightened of that, but I am in the shadows of my loved one's footprints, distress revisits me at the dead of the night refreshing my memories.
Being in love with and longing for you, I have locked myself up in this, "castle of shed tears."
Now may be the time for me to wander off into the place, the guidepost to the other world points to And the sky is waiting for me, attended by numerous clouds.
Overwhelmed by your tenderness that has always encouraged me I have been searching for "love" in earnest, taking, "my wish for happiness" along. Let me call out to and ask the birds flying about in the sky I want to convey to them my feelings.
Over many long years, with art as a weapon I have treaded the path in search of love.
During the days I have lived through keeping "despair," "emptiness" and "loneliness" all to myself along the way there were times when the fireworks of life "splendidly" adorned the sky.
Dancing in the night sky in a myriad of colors, the fireworks sprinkled dust all over my body I will never forget that exhilarating moment.
Now I think is the time to dedicate my heart to you, my dearest Was the beauty of the end of one's life nothing more than an illusion?
Would you give me an answer to this?
Devoting all my heart to you, I have lived through to this day Hoping to leave beautiful footprints at the end of my life I spend each day praying that my wish will be fulfilled This is my message of love to you.
-Yayoi Kusama