Yayoi Kusama: 1945 to Now

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 Seven decades of work by one of the most admired artists of our time. Polka dots, mirrored rooms and endless patterns are known to people around the world. Yayoi Kusama: 1945 to Now shows what lies behind them. It is the most comprehensive survey of her work to date, following an artist who has won truly global acclaim in her lifetime.

Kusama emerged at the forefront of artistic experimentation in Asia in the mid-20th century and soon became a central figure of the New York scene of the 1960s. Now in her nineties, she continues to create, communicating her personal and spiritual view of the world through art.

The book is divided into six thematic sections that illuminate the aesthetic and philosophical concerns at the heart of her work. Inside you will find previously unpublished writings by Kusama, her correspondence with Georgia O'Keeffe, an interview with the critic and curator Yoshie Yoshida, and a roundtable discussion among leading curators and Kusama experts. Essays explore different aspects of her practice, and a detailed illustrated chronology places her life's work in context. The publication contains 347 colour illustrations.

It reveals an artist shaped by international artistic currents who nevertheless remains deeply connected to the traditions and culture of her native Japan. It is written for readers who already know Kusama and for those meeting her work for the first time.

Doryun Chong is artistic director and chief curator of M+, Hong Kong. He is co-editor of M+ Collections: Highlights, Yayoi Kusama: 1945 to Now and Picasso/Asia: A Conversation. Mika Yoshitake is an independent curator specialising in post-war Japanese art.