Japanese avant-garde artist Yayoi Kusama dies aged 97

Japanese avant-garde artist Yayoi Kusama, who became famous later in life for her work in sculptures and installations, has died aged 97, her company has confirmed.

"It is with profound sorrow that the passing of Yayoi Kusama at a hospital in Tokyo on August 14, 2026, at the age of 97," the statement said.

"Throughout an extraordinary lifetime devoted entirely to artistic creation, Kusama pursued an internationally acclaimed career as a pioneering avant-garde artist whose creative practice encompassed visual art, performance, fiction, and poetry," it said.

Kusama, who had voluntarily lived in a pyschiatric hospital for decades, was known for her bright-red wig and quirky polka-dot ensembles.