Collection Art Office Mori, Japan Mallet, Japan, February 18, 2016, lot 160 Whitestone Gallery, Hong Kong (acquired at the above sale) Acquired from the above by the present owner
Exhibited
Zurich, Galerie von Vertes, Yayoi Kusama: Inside Out, October 27–December 15, 2022, n.p. (illustrated)
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 nonagenarian who still lives in Tokyo and steadfastly paints in her 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.
signed, titled and dated "yayoi kusama 1990 Butterfly [in Japanese]" on the reverse acrylic on canvas 6 1/4 x 8 7/8 in. (15.9 x 22.5 cm) Painted in 1990, this work is accompanied by a registration card issued by Yayoi Kusama Studio Inc.