Japanese polka dot artist Yayoi Kusama dies aged 97

Yayoi Kusama, the Japanese avant-garde artist famed for polka-dot sculptures, Infinity Mirror Rooms and pumpkin motifs, died in a Tokyo hospital on 14 August at 97 after a lifelong career that included representing Japan at the 1993 Venice Biennale and winning the 2001 Asahi Prize. Her works fetched record prices for a female artist, such as a 2022 painting sold for $10.5 million, and major exhibitions like Tate Modern’s three-year run attracted unprecedented visitor numbers.