A single dot can mean something much larger than itself. And for Japanese contemporary artist Yayoi Kusama, the humble polka dot became a symbol of infinity, connection and humanity’s place in the universe.
The Japanese legendary artist passed away on August 14, 2026, at 97. Kusama metamorphosed repeated patterns and organic forms into meditations on the relationship between humans, nature and the cosmos. The artist’s unusual yellow and black pumpkins, covered with repeated dots, have become some of the most celebrated images in contemporary art. She interpreted that pumpkins have a gentle spirit and connected them with her own identity and emotions.
She famously said that Earth is “only one polka dot among a million stars,” and in doing so, she captured the philosophy behind decades of her artistic practice. In her work “Pumpkins” (1998–2000), Kusama presents the vegetable form with an almost living presence.
