Yayoi Kusama Reflects on Life, Art, and Love in 2007 ArtReview Interview
In a 2007 interview with ArtReview, Yayoi Kusama, recognized as Japan's foremost living artist, shared insights into her lifelong commitment to art, her beliefs about love, and her perspectives on fame and feminism. Residing in a psychiatric hospital in Tokyo since 1977, she views art as essential for survival. Identifying as a global artist, Kusama prioritizes her unique practice over that of her peers, aiming to convey messages of love and peace while seeking self-discovery. She rejected the feminist label, reflecting on her traditional upbringing and recalling the destruction of 2,000 paintings prior to her relocation to the US at age 27. This interview coincided with her first exhibition at London's Victoria Miro Gallery in nearly ten years.
Key facts
- Yayoi Kusama is often described as Japan's greatest living artist.
- Kusama has lived in a Tokyo psychiatric hospital since 1977.
- She said, 'if it were not for art, I would have killed myself a long time ago'.
- She considers herself a global artist, not just Japanese.
- She does not pay attention to other artists' work.
- She burned about 2,000 paintings before leaving for the US at age 27.
- She has never thought of her work as feminist.
- The interview was published in ArtReview in October 2007.
- She was preparing for her first show at Victoria Miro Gallery in London in almost 10 years.
Entities
Artists
Institutions
- ArtReview
- Victoria Miro Gallery
Locations
- Tokyo
- Japan
- New York
- United States
- London
- United Kingdom
- Venice
- Italy