Yayoi Kusama - Contemporary Art Day Sale London Wednesday, October 15, 2014 | Phillips

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  • Provenance

    Victoria Miro, London
    Private Collection, London

  • Exhibited

    Australia, Bendigo Art Gallery, The Art of Chess, 20 October 2010 - 30 January, 2011, then travelled to Australia, UQ Art Museum (26 February - 24 April 2011), then travelled to London, Saatchi Gallery,
    (8 September - 3 October 2012)

  • Literature

    C. Milliard, Checkmate: Saatchi Gallery Unveils Extraordinary Collection of Artistdesigned Chessboards, ARTINFO, London, 7 September, 2012
    A. Abrams, Check Mates; The Art of Chess at the Saatchi Gallery, The New York Times Magazine, 17 September 2012

  • Catalogue Essay

    "While all artists are not chess players, all chess players are artists.” Marcel Duchamp

  • 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 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.

     
    View More Works

251

Pumpkin Chess Set

2003
hand painted porcelain, leather and wood display
overall: 73.7 x 109.2 x 109.2 cm (29 x 42 7/8 x 42 7/8 in.)
Each chess piece signed 'Yayoi Kusama' on the underside. Further stamped by the German Porcelain factory Villeroy & Boch. This work is artist’s proof number 3 from an edition of 7 plus 4 artist's proofs and is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity.

Estimate
£80,000 - 120,000 

Sold for £98,500

Contact Specialist
Henry Highley
Head of Day Sale

+44 207 318 4061

Contemporary Art Day Sale

London Auction 16 October 2014 2pm