Yayoi Kusama

When I look at this botanical print by Yayoi Kusama I feel connected to the beauty of this forest but also to her inner journey as an artist. I think the goal for my own work is to capture the beauty of nature while also revealing something about myself and my thought process. Yayoi’s work is a master class in observing nature and turning it into personal expression.

Yayoi began drawing plants and flowers at her family’s plant nursery and seed farm located in Matsumoto, Japan. When she grew up and moved to Tokyo, she was influenced by Abstract Expressionists and artists like Jackson Pollock. The repetitive nature of her polka dots provides her with a sense of control and order, helping her cope with the psychological trauma that she has been experiencing since childhood (Musso, Laboo Studio, 2025). Yayoi is 97 years old and is still working in her studio.

Reference:

Musso, Tony, 2025, Yayoi Kusama Prints - Pattern, Repetition, and Visual Play, Laboo Studio