Widely inspirational and innovative artist Yayoi Kusama has a body of work that is exceptionally varied, ranging from graphic prints and paintings to polka-dot pumpkin sculptures, hypnotic collages, large-scale installations and fashion design.
Even if you don’t know her name, you’ve likely experienced Kusama’s art — or have seen it on Instagram. Her soft sculptures and dazzling “Infinity Mirrors” are the stuff of selfie-takers’ dreams, but Kusama’s impressive decades-long career certainly holds far more cachet than it does fodder for today’s aspiring social-media influencers.
Born in Matsumoto, Japan, in 1929, Kusama has worked with her signature polka dots since the age of 10, when she began to experience vivid hallucinations and claimed that patterns and dots were moving around her, swallowing up everything in view. She started to incorporate them into her paintings as a child. Kusama saw circular forms and nets on every surface and became especially fascinated with the pebbles that lined the bottom of the creek near her childhood home. Her family was sternly opposed to her art and her mother physically abused Kusama and discouraged her at a very early age. She has suffered psychological turmoil her whole life and is vocal about her mental illness. Today, Kusama is a voluntary resident at a psychiatric facility in Tokyo, and she calls her work “art medicine.”
At the Kyoto School of Arts and Crafts, Kusama trained in Nihonga, a traditional style of Japanese painting that originated during the Meiji period. On advice she solicited from painter Georgia O'Keeffe, a pioneer of modernism in America whom she greatly admired, she subsequently moved to New York City in 1958. There, Kusama flourished, creating prescient sculptures and large-scale monochrome paintings that bridged current styles with minimalism, which hadn’t yet achieved any kind of prominence as an art movement. She pushed boundaries with her “Accumulations” series, which saw her transforming found furniture pieces into sexualized objects, as well as with an avant-garde staging of theatrical orgies on the street — both stemming from her anxieties about sex as well as an endeavor to make a feminist statement about patriarchal authority and sexism.
Kusama was captivated by Surrealists as well as the Abstract Expressionists and greatly influenced the Pop artists who followed, befriending such icons as Donald Judd — who called her work “the best paintings being done” — and Andy Warhol, with whom she exhibited and later accused of stealing her ideas. Kusama moved with ease through artistic circles and made a point to draw attention to her “otherness” as a Japanese woman by wearing kimonos to her openings.
In 2021, Kusama brought her floral and vegetal sculptures to the New York Botanical Garden and her works can be found in the collections of many of the world’s top museums, including the Museum of Modern Art in New York, the Centre Pompidou in Paris and the National Museum of Modern Art in Tokyo. She famously collaborated with Louis Vuitton in 2012, and she created a 34-foot-tall balloon for the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in Manhattan in 2019, becoming the first female artist to design a work for the event. In addition to her visual artwork, Kusama is a writer, publishing poetry, novels and an autobiography.
Find a collection of Yayoi Kusama art on 1stDibs.
$556Sale Price|20% Off
Pumpkin, Red/White, Yayoi Kusama 草間 彌生
By Yayoi Kusama
Located in Fairfield, CT
Artist: Yayoi Kusama (1929) Title: Pumpkin, Red/White Year: 2016 Medium: Painted cast resin sculpture with decorative box, as issued Sculpture Size: 4 × 3.5 x 3.5 inches Inscription:...
Epoxy Resin
$556Sale Price|20% Off
Pumpkin, Yellow/Black, Yayoi Kusama 草間 彌生
By Yayoi Kusama
Located in Fairfield, CT
Artist: Yayoi Kusama (1929) Title: Pumpkin, Yellow/Black Year: 2016 Medium: Painted cast resin sculpture with decorative box, as issued Sculpture Size: 4 × 3.5 x 3.5 inches Inscripti...
Epoxy Resin
Pumpkin (NGV)
By Yayoi Kusama
Located in Bristol, GB
Hand painted zinc alloy metal pumpkin with perforated dots Edition 45 of 250 12 x 12 cm (4.7 x 4.7 in) Numbered Mint, as issued. Sold in the original packaging Published by NGV
Metal
Yayoi Kusama Pumpkin
By Yayoi Kusama
Located in Central, HK
Yayoi Kusama Pumpkin, 2025 Hand painted zinc alloy metal pumpkin with perforated dots Individually numbered Edition 87/250 30.5 x 30.5 in 12 x 12 cm
Metal
Naoshima Red Pumpkin. Resin Sculpture by Yayoi Kusama
By Yayoi Kusama
Located in Hong Kong, HK
Yayoi Kusama Cast resin multiple sculpture painted in colors, 2019, with the artist's stamped signature and title on the underside, from a limited edition of undisclosed size, publis...
Resin
Kusama Pumpkins (Set of Two)
By Yayoi Kusama
Located in NEW YORK, NY
Yayoi Kusama Set of Two Pumpkins: Yellow and Black / Red and White: An iconic, vibrantly colored pop art set - these small Kusama pumpkin sculptures feature the universal polka dot p...
Resin
$188,900
Original HAND SIGNED AND NUMBERED 7/30 Pumpkin (Red) Sculpture on base with box
By Yayoi Kusama
Located in New York, NY
Yayoi Kusama Original Limited Edition hand signed and numbered Pumpkin (Red), 1998 Painted cast resin on ceramic tile in the original wood box, display plate and paper box Signed and...
Ceramic, Resin, Mixed Media, Permanent Marker
Yayoi Kusama Plush Pumpkin (Yellow and black pumpkin)
By Yayoi Kusama
Located in Central, HK
Yayoi Kusama Pumpkin Plush Yellow (Small), 2004 Nylon 6 x 9 2/5 in diameter 15.24 x 24 cm diameter
Nylon, Polyester
Pumpkin (Yellow and Black)
By Yayoi Kusama
Located in Bristol, GB
Cast resin Open edition Stamped on base (not signed or numbered) New. Sold in the original box Benesse Museum, Japan
Resin
$320Sale Price|20% Off
Kusama Plush Pumpkin (Kusama red & white pumpkin)
By Yayoi Kusama
Located in NEW YORK, NY
Yayoi Kusama Red & White Pumpkin (plush): An iconic, vibrantly colored pop art piece - this Kusama plush pumpkin features the universal polka dot patterns and bold colors for which t...
Nylon
Kusama Large Plush Pumpkin (Kusama red & white pumpkin)
By Yayoi Kusama
Located in NEW YORK, NY
Yayoi Kusama Red & White Pumpkin (plush): An iconic, vibrantly colored pop art piece - this large Kusama plush pumpkin features the universal polka dot patterns and bold colors for w...
Fabric, Screen
$1,080Sale Price|20% Off
Pumpkins, Yellow/Black, Red/White (Two Sculptures), Yayoi Kusama 草間 彌生
By Yayoi Kusama
Located in Fairfield, CT
Artist: Yayoi Kusama (1929) Title: Pumpkins, Yellow/Black, Red/White (Two Sculptures) Year: 2016 Medium: Painted cast resin sculptures with decorative boxes, as issued Sculpture Size...
Epoxy Resin
Kusama Pumpkins (Set of 3 works)
By Yayoi Kusama
Located in NEW YORK, NY
Yayoi Kusama Set of 3 Pumpkins: Yellow and Black, Red & White and Red & Black Naoshima: An iconic, vibrantly colored pop art set - these small Kusama pumpkin sculptures feat...
Resin
Red and Yellow Pumpkins (set of two)
By Yayoi Kusama
Located in Milano, MI
Yayoi Kusama dazzles audiences worldwide with her immersive “Infinity Mirror Rooms” and an aesthetic that embraces light, polka dots, and pumpkins. The avant-garde artist first rose ...
Resin
Naoshima Yellow Pumpkin. Resin Sculpture by Yayoi Kusama
By Yayoi Kusama
Located in Hong Kong, HK
Cast resin multiple painted in colors, 2016, with the artist's stamped signature and title on the underside, from a limited edition of undisclosed size, published by Benesse Holdings...
Resin
Yayoi Kusama Plush Pumpkin (Red and white pumpkin)
By Yayoi Kusama
Located in Central, HK
Yayoi Kusama Pumpkin Plush Red and White (Small), 2004 Nylon 6 x 9 2/5 in diameter 15.24 x 24 cm diameter
Nylon, Polyester
Kusama Plush Pumpkin (Kusama red & white pumpkin)
By Yayoi Kusama
Located in NEW YORK, NY
Yayoi Kusama Red & White Pumpkin (plush): An iconic, vibrantly colored pop art piece - this Kusama plush pumpkin features the universal polka dot patterns and bold colors for whi...
Nylon
Kusama Plush Pumpkin (Kusama yellow & black pumpkin)
By Yayoi Kusama
Located in NEW YORK, NY
Yayoi Kusama Yellow & Black Pumpkin (plush): An iconic, vibrantly colored pop art piece - this large Kusama plush pumpkin features the universal polka dot patterns and bold colors fo...
Nylon
Love Forever
By Yayoi Kusama
Located in New York, NY
Yayoi Kusama Love Forever, 2016 Ceramic (Porcelain) Dish and Cover Stamped Yayoi Kusama on bottom 4 1/2 × 4 1/2 × 1 1/2 inches Unframed Limited edition (exact number created is unkno...
Ceramic, Porcelain, Screen
Pumpkins (set of 2)
By Yayoi Kusama
Located in Washington , DC, DC
These are genuine authorized works by Yayoi Kusama, comes with original boxes. The Yellow comes with a blue box and the Red with a red box.
Resin, Paint
Yayoi Kusama Skateboard Deck
By Yayoi Kusama
Located in NEW YORK, NY
Yayoi Kusama MoMa Skateboard Deck: This Kusama skateboard deck features Kusama's Dots Obsession imagery and makes for standout Kusama wall art that hangs with ease. Published by MoMa...
Wood, Lithograph, Offset
Red Pumpkin (Dot Obsession Red) - Original sculpture with original case
By Yayoi Kusama
Located in Paris, IDF
Yayoi Kusama Pumpkin red (Dots Obsession Red) A pumpkin sculpture made of resin Signed under the base of the sculpture Diameter: 8 cm Height: 10.5 cm Presented in the original edito...
Resin
Kusama Pumpkins (plush): set of 2 (Kusama yellow & black pumpkin)
By Yayoi Kusama
Located in NEW YORK, NY
Yayoi Kusama plush Pumpkins (set of 2 works): An iconic, vibrantly colored pop art set - these highly decorative plush Kusama pumpkins feature the universal polka dot patterns and bo...
Nylon
Kusama Skateboard deck (Yayoi Kusama MoMa)
By Yayoi Kusama
Located in NEW YORK, NY
Yayoi Kusama MoMa Skateboard Deck: This Kusama skateboard deck features Kusama's Dots Obsession imagery and makes for standout Kusama wall art that hangs with ease. Published by MoMa...
Wood, Lithograph, Offset
Yayoi Kusama Pumpkin Mascot (Yellow and black pumpkin)
By Yayoi Kusama
Located in Central, HK
Yayoi Kusama Yellow Pumpkin Mascot (Yellow and black), 2019 Parachute Nylon 3 9/10 × 3 × 3 in 10 × 7.5 × 7.5 cm
Nylon, Polyester
Shoe. Bronze Sculpture by Yayoi Kusama. Limited Edition of 30 (1976/94)
By Yayoi Kusama
Located in Hong Kong, HK
Painted bronze sculpture by Yayoi Kusama. Original mould executed in 1976; casted in 1994. This work is number 12 from a limited edition of 30. Incised with the artist's signature an...
Bronze
$1,200Sale Price|70% Off
Pumpkin (red version)
By Yayoi Kusama
Located in Washington , DC, DC
Genuine authorized multiple by Yayoi Kusama with original box
Resin, Paint
$41,000
High Heels Silver. Ceramic Sculptures (2) by Yayoi Kusama. Limited Edition of 30
By Yayoi Kusama
Located in Hong Kong, HK
Ceramic sculptures by Yayoi Kusama. 2 sculptures of dimensions: 27 x 7 x 17 cm each. Executed in 2015. This work is number 3 from a limited edition of 30. Incised with the artist's ...
Ceramic
Kusama Plush Pumpkin (Kusama yellow & black pumpkin)
By Yayoi Kusama
Located in NEW YORK, NY
Yayoi Kusama Yellow & Black Pumpkin (plush): An iconic, vibrantly colored pop art piece - this large Kusama plush pumpkin features the universal polka dot patterns and bold colors fo...
Nylon
$320Sale Price|20% Off
Kusama Plush Pumpkin (Kusama yellow & black pumpkin)
By Yayoi Kusama
Located in NEW YORK, NY
Yayoi Kusama Yellow & Black Pumpkin (plush): An iconic, vibrantly colored pop art piece - this Kusama plush pumpkin features the universal polka dot patterns and bold colors for ...
Nylon
Mirror Box, 2005 Limited Edition of 99 sculpture by Yayoi Kusama
By Yayoi Kusama
Located in Hong Kong, HK
Yayoi Kusama (1929–)
Mirror Box, 2005
Medium: mirrored glass sculpture with circular openings on each face
Dimension...
Mirror
$23,000
Strawberry 1. Bronze Sculpture by Yayoi Kusama (1974/93) Limited Edition of 30
By Yayoi Kusama
Located in Hong Kong, HK
Strawberry 1 Lacquered bronze sculpture by Yayoi Kusama. Original mould executed in 1974; casted in 1993. This work is number 6 from a limited edition of 30 plus 1 artist's proof. I...
Bronze
$63,000
Strawberry 2. Bronze Sculpture by Yayoi Kusama (1974/94) Limited Edition of 30
By Yayoi Kusama
Located in Hong Kong, HK
Lacquered bronze sculpture by Yayoi Kusama. Original mould executed in 1974; casted in 1994. This work is number 20 from a limited edition of 30 plus 1 artist's proof. Incised with ...
Bronze
Price Upon Request
Kusama Large Plush Pumpkin (New)
By Yayoi Kusama
Located in NEW YORK, NY
Yayoi Kusama Yellow & Black Pumpkin (plush): An iconic, vibrantly colored pop art piece - this large Kusama plush pumpkin features the universal polka dot patterns and bold colors fo...
Nylon
Kusama Skateboard decks set of 2 (Yayoi Kusama MoMa)
By Yayoi Kusama
Located in NEW YORK, NY
Yayoi Kusama MoMa Skateboard Decks (set of 2 works): These highly decorative Yayoi Kusama skateboard decks feature Kusama's Dots Obsession imagery and makes for standout Kusama wall ...
Wood, Lithograph, Offset
Price Upon Request
Kusama Pumpkins (large plush: set of 2 works)
By Yayoi Kusama
Located in NEW YORK, NY
Yayoi Kusama Pumpkins (set of 2 large plush pumpkins): An iconic, vibrantly colored pop art set - these large Kusama plush (soft) pumpkins feature the univ...
Nylon, Screen