Yayoi Kusama - 20th Century & Contemporary Art & Design Evening Sale Hong Kong Saturday, May 27, 2017 | Phillips

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  • Provenance

    Private Collection, Tokyo
    Private Collection
    Sotheby's, New York, 27 September 2010, lot 32
    Private Collection, New York
    Phillips, New York, 15 May 2015, lot 220
    Acquired at the above sale by the present owner

  • Artist Biography

    Yayoi Kusama

    Japanese

    Named "the world's most popular artist" in 2015, it's not hard to see why Yayoi Kusama continues to dazzle contemporary art audiences globally. From her signature polka dots—"fabulous," she calls them—to her mirror-and-light Infinity Rooms, Kusama's multi-dimensional practice of making art elevates the experience of immersion. To neatly pin an artistic movement onto Kusama would be for naught: She melds and transcends the aesthetics and theories of many late twentieth century movements, including Pop Art and Minimalism, without ever taking a singular path.

    As an octogenarian who still lives—somewhat famously—in a psychiatric institution in Tokyo and steadfastly paints in her immaculate studio every day, Kusama honed her punchy cosmic style in New York City in the 1960s. During this period, she staged avant-garde happenings, which eventually thrust her onto the international stage with a series of groundbreaking exhibitions at the Museum of Modern Art in the 1980s and the 45th Venice Biennale in 1993. She continues to churn out paintings and installations at inspiring speed, exhibiting internationally in nearly every corner of the globe, and maintains a commanding presence on the primary market and at auction.

    View More Works

Property of an Important European Collector

4

Bird

1986
signed, titled and dated '"BIRD" YAYOI KUSAMA 1986' on edge of the box
wood, canvas, mesh, silver spray paint, synthetic fibre, feathers
30 x 30 x 15.5 cm (11 3/4 x 11 3/4 x 6 1/8 in.)
Executed in 1986, this work has been registered in the Yayoi Kusama archives under registration number 0396.

Estimate
HK$400,000 - 600,000 
€48,200-72,200
$51,300-76,900

Sold for HK$525,000

Contact Specialist
Jonathan Crockett
Deputy Chairman, Asia and Head of 20th Century & Contemporary Art, Asia
+852 2318 2023

Sandy Ma
Specialist, Head of Evening Sale
+852 2318 2025

General Enquiries
+852 2318 2000

20th Century & Contemporary Art & Design Evening Sale

Hong Kong Auction 28 May 2017