Nasce a Matsumoto in Giappone nel 1929. Si forma presso la School of Arts and Craft di Kyoto. Dopo sei mostre personali in Giappone nel 1958 si trasferisce a New York, dove inizia la serie delle Infinity Nets, importante corpus di opere che comprende dipinti, sculture, collage, film e installazioni. Dagli anni ’60 inizia a creare installazioni immersive e organizza diversi happenings, Body Paint festival e performances. Kusama si appropria del pois come suo simbolo distintivo e lo utilizza nel corso di tutta la sua carriera artistica; l’artista, affetta da disturbi mentali, fonda un linguaggio personale che le vale uno stile inconfondibile. Nel 1973 torna in Giappone.

SELEZIONE ESPOSIZIONI PERSONALI

1952
Matsumoto, First Community Center, Yayoi Kusama

1954
Tokyo, Shirokiya Department Store, Yayoi Kusama

1955
Tokyo, Kyuryudo Gallery, Yayoi Kusama
Tokyo, Takemiya Gallery, Yayoi Kusama

1957
Seattle, Zoë Susanne Gallery, Yayoi Kusama

1959
Boston, Nova Gallery, Recent Paintings by Yayoi Kusama
New York, Brata Gallery, Yayoi Kusama

1960
Washington, Gres Gallery, Yayoi Kusama

1961
New York, Stephen Radish Gallery, Yayoi Kusama: Recent Painting
Washington, Gres Gallery, Yayoi Kusama: Watercolors

1962
Chicago, Robert Hanamura Gallery, Yayoi Kusama

1963
New York, Gertrude Stein Gallery, Yayoi Kusama. Aggregation: One Thousand Boats Show

1964
New York, Castellane Gallery, Yayoi Kusama: Driving Image Show

1965
New York, Castellane Gallery, Yayoi Kusama: Floor Show

1966
Milano, Galleria d’Arte del Naviglio; Essen, Galerie M.E. Thelen, Yayoi Kusama: Driving Image Show
New York, Castellane Gallery, Yayoi Kusama: Peep Show/Endless Love Show

1968
Francoforte, Galerie Ursula Lichter, Yayoi Kusama

1971
The Hague, Internationale Galerij Orez, Yayoi Kusama: Cage/Painting/Woman

1975
Tokyo, Nishimura Gallery, Yayoi Kusama: Message of Death from Hades

1976
Osaka, Formes Gallery, Yayoi Kusama: Obsessional Art, a Requiem for Death and Life

1977
Tokyo, Gallery Nikko, Yayoi Kusama: Collages

1979
Matsumoto, Chungeki Art Salon, Yayoi Kusama
Matsumoto, Inoue Department Store, Yayoi Kusama

1980
Tokyo, Gallery Toshin, Yayoi Kusama: Infinity and Repetition of Nets and Polka Dots
Tokyo, American Center, Unknown Works by Yayoi Kusama: The Flash That Burns Grass
Osaka, Toho Gallery, Yayoi Kusama

1981
Boston, Kiku Sui Gallery, Yayoi Kusama

1982

Tokyo, Fuji Television Gallery, Yayoi Kusama: Obsession
Nagoya, Box Gallery, Yayoi Kusama
Milano, Galleria d’Arte del Naviglio, Yayoi Kusama

1983
The Hague, Internationale Galerij Ornis, Yayoi Kusama: 1950-1970
Tokyo, Supplement Gallery, Yayoi Kusama
Chiba, Tsubaki Gallery, Yayoi Kusama

1986
Parigi, Galerie Christian Cheneau, Yayoi Kusama
Calais, Musée de beaux-arts de Calais, Yayoi Kusama

1987
Fukuoka, Kitakyushu Municipal Museum of Art, Yayoi Kusama

1989
Tokyo, Gallery Ikeda Bijutsu, Yayoi Kusama: Recent Prints, Objects, paintings
New York, Center for International Contemporary Arts, Yayoi Kusama: A Retrospective
Oxford, Museum of Modern Art, Yayoi Kusama: Soul Burning Flash

1990
Tokyo, Chikugo Gallery, Yayoi Kusama
Tokyo, Gallery Kyoni, Yayoi Kusama

1991
Tokyo, Fuji Television Gallery, Yayoi Kusama: Between Heaven and Hearth
Osaka, Gallery Athens, Yayoi Kusama
Fukuoka, Media of Modern Art Contemporary, Yayoi Kusama

1992
Yokohama, YU Contemporary Art, Yayoi Kusama
Tokyo, Sogetsu Museum of Art; Niigata, Niigata City Art Museum, Yayoi Kusama: Bursting Galaxies

1993
Roma, Galleria Valentina Moncada, Yayoi Kusama
Venezia, Galleria d’Arte del Naviglio, Yayoi Kusama
Hiroshima, Gallery Tomita, Yayoi Kusama
Venezia, 45° Biennale di Venezia, Yayoi Kusama

1994
Venezia, Galleria Cardazzo, Yayoi Kusama
Fukuoka, media of Modern Art Contemporary, Yayoi Kusama
Tokyo, Fuji Television Gallery, Yayoi Kusama: My Solitary Way to Death

1996
New York, Paula Cooper Gallery, Yayoi Kusama: The 1950s and 1960s
Fukuoka, Media of Modern Art Contemporary, Yayoi Kusama: A Panorama of My Youth
New York, Robert Miller Gallery, Yayoi Kusama: Recent Works

1997
Chicago, The Arts Club Chicago, Yayoi Kusama: Obsessional Vision
New York, D’Amelio Terras, Yayoi Kusama and Andy Warhol
Los Angeles, Margo Leavin Gallery, Yayoi Kusama: recent Work

1998
Los Angeles, Los Angeles County Museum of Art (itinerante), Yayoi Kusama: Love Forever
New York, Robert Miller Gallery, Yayoi Kusama
Tokyo, Ota Fine Arts, Yayoi Kusama: Recent Oil Painting
Parigi, Galerie Piece Unique, Yayoi Kusama
Londra, Victoria Miro, Yayoi Kusama

1999
Stoccolma, Lars Bohman Gallery, Yayoi Kusama
Los Angeles, Kantor Gallery, Yayoi Kusama
Taipei, Crown Art Center, Yayoi Kusama
New York, Robert Miller Gallery, Yayoi Kusama: Installations
Tokyo, Museum of Contemporary Art, In Full Bloom: Yayoi Kusama, Years in Japan

2000
Londra, Serpentine Gallery, Yayoi Kusama
New Jersey, The Art Museum, Princeton University (itinerante), Yayoi Kusama: Early Drawings from the Collection of Richard Castellane
Dijon, Le Consortium, (itinerante) Yayoi Kusama

2001
Parigi, Galerie Piece Unique, Yayoi Kusama: Death of an Illusion
Milano, Studio Guenzani, Yayoi Kusama

2002
Fukuoka, Media of Modern Art Contemporary, Yayoi Kusama: Mixed Media
Miami, Bass Museum of Art, Yayoi Kusama
Tokyo, Ota Fine Arts, Yayoi Kusama
San Paolo, Galeria Deco, Yayoi Kusama

2003
Braunschweig, Kunstverein Braunschweig; Varsavia, Zacheta National Gallery of Art, Yayoi Kusama: Arbeiten aus den Jahren 1949 bis 2003
Zurigo, Fabian & Claude Walter Galerie, Yayoi Kusama: Love Forever

2004
Tokyo, The National Museum of Modern Art; Kyoto, The National Museum of Modern Art, Yayoi Kusama: Eternity-Modernity
Tokyo, Mori Art Museum, Yayoi Kusama: Kusamatrix

2005
Hiroshima, Hiroshima City Museun of Contemporary Art, Yayoi Kusama: Eight Places for Burning Soul
Milano, Galleria Sozzani, Yayoi Kusama: Furniture
Kumatomo, Contemporary Art Museum, Yayoi Kusama: Sailing the Sea of Infinity
Milano, Studio Guenzani, Yayoi Kusama

2006
New York, Robert Miller Gallery,Yayoi Kusama
Berlino, Arndt & Partner, Yayoi Kusama
Modena, Galleria Civica di Modena, Yayoi Kusama: Metamorfosi/Metamorphosis

2007
Monaco, Haus der Kunst (itinerante), Yayoi Kusama: Dots Obsession - Dot Transformed into Love
Londra, Victoria Miro, Yayoi Kusama
New York, Peter Bloom Gallery, Yayoi Kusama: Prints

2008
Rotterdam, Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen (itinerante), Yayoi Kusama: Mirrored Years
Londra, Victoria Miro, Yayoi Kusama
Tokyo, Ota Fine Arts, Yayoi Kusama

2009
Milano, Padiglione d’Arte Contemporanea, Yayoi Kusama: I Want to Live Forever
New York, Gagosian Gallery, Yayoi Kusama
Beverly Hills, Gagosian Gallery, Yayoi Kusama: Flowers That Bloom at Midmight

2011
Tokyo, The Watari Museum of Contemporary Art, Kusama’s body Festival in the 60s
Roma, Gagosian Gallery, Yayoi Kusama
Madrid, Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofia (itinerante), Yayoi Kusama

2012
New York, D’Amelio Gallery, Yayoi Kusama: Drawings from the mid-50s
New York, Whitney Museum of American Art, Yayoi Kusama: Fireflies on the Water
Seattle, Seattle Art Museum, Yayoi Kusama: A Total Vision
Tokyo, Ota Fine Arts, Yayoi Kusama: New Paintings
Osaka, The National Museum of Art (itinerante), Yayoi Kusama: Eternity of Eternal Eternity

2013
New York, David Zwirner, Yayoi Kusama: I Who Have Arrived in Heaven
Londra, Victoria Miro, Yayoi Kusama: White Infinity Nets
Daegu, Daegu Art Museum (itinerante), Yayoi Kusama: A Dream I Dreamed
Buenos Aires, Museo de Arte Latinoamericano de Buenos Aires (itinerante), Yayoi Kusama: Obsesion infinita/Infinite Obsession

2014
Singapore, Ota Fine Arts, Yayoi Kusama
Londra, Victoria Miro, Yayoi Kusama: Pumpinks

2015
Humblebaek, Louisiana Museum of Modern Art (itinerante), Yayoi Kusama: In Infinity
New York, David Zwirner, Yayoi Kusama: Give me love
Mosca, Garage Museum of Contemporary ARt, Yayoi Kusama: Infinity Theory

2016
Houston, The Musseum of Fine Arts, Yayoi Kusama: At the End of the Universe
Londra, Victoria Miro, Yayoi Kusama: My Eternal Soul Paintings

2017
New York, Judd Foundation, Yayoi Kusama
Tokyo, Yayoi Kusama Museum, Yayoi Kusama: Creation is a Solitary Pursuit, Love is What Brings You Closer to Art
Tokyo, The National Art Center, Yayoi Kusama: My Eternal Soul
Washington, Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden (itinerante), Yayoi Kusama: Infinity Mirrors

2018
Los Angeles, Marciano Art Foundation, Yayoi Kusama: With All My Love for the Tulips, I Pray Forever
Tampa, Tampa Museum of Art, Yayoi Kusama: LOVE IS CALLING
Matsumoto, Matsumoto City Museum of Art, Yayoi Kusama: All About My Love

2019
Miami, Institute of Contemporary Art, Yayoi Kusama: All the Eternal Love I Have for the Pumpkins
New York, David Zwirner, Yayoi Kusama: EVERY DAY I PRAY FOR LOVE
Amsterdam, Moco Museum, Yayoi Kusama
Aspen, Aspen Art Musuem, Yayoi Kusama: Where the Lights in My Heart Go
Boston, Institute of Contemporary Art, Yayoi Kusama: LOVE IS CALLING

2020
Berlino, Gropius Bau; Colonia, Museum Ludwig; Basilea, Fondation Beyeler, Yayoi Kusama
Washington, Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, One With Eternity: Yayoi Kusama In The Hirshhorn Collection