Yayoi Kusama

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About the artwork

Signed and dated "KUSAMA 1981" titled in Japanese (on the reverse). This work is accompanied by a registration card issued by the artist's studio. Yayoi Kusama masterfully intertwines two of her most iconic motifs: the 'Infinity Nets' and her signature polka dots, transforming a mundane coffee cup into a portal to her unique artistic universe. After relocating to New York City in 1958, Kusama embarked on her 'Infinity Nets' series, a profound exploration of infinite repetition and boundless space. These works, characterized by their intricate patterns, challenge the viewer's perception by granting equal visual weight to both the painted brushstrokes and the seemingly empty spaces within them. In this piece, Kusama seamlessly merges the 'Infinity Nets' with her ubiquitous polka dots, a motif rooted in the auras and visual hallucinations she experienced during her childhood. The vibrant teal green of the cup and saucer, meticulously covered in these dots, stands out against the stark black background, which is itself fractured by the teal 'net' pattern. This combination creates a dizzying sense of immersion, as if the viewer is being drawn into a cosmic expansion, a hallmark of Kusama's artistic intent.

About the artist

Yayoi Kusama was born 1929, in Matsumoto City and began painting at the age of 10, as a means of escaping a childhood of neglect and expressing her early experiences with hallucinogenic visions. She is best known for her works best known for her works featuring repeating motifs and psychedelic imagery that evoke themes of psychology, feminism, obsession, sex, creation, destruction, and intense self-reflection.