Lot 57 YAYOI KUSAMA, PUMKIN (RED & BLACK)

Yayoi Kusama (b. 1929), Japan, Pumpkin (Red & Black).

A vividly executed pumpkin artwork rendered in striking red and black, featuring the iconic dotted motif associated with Japanese contemporary art. The composition displays a large, stylised pumpkin formed through dense fields of graduated dots set against a textured, web-like background. The use of repeating patterns and bold contrast creates a hypnotic, rhythmic effect typical of the artist’s signature visual language.

Yayoi Kusama (born 1929) is one of Japan’s most influential and internationally acclaimed contemporary artists, renowned for her obsessive use of polka dots, repetition, and immersive environments. Rising to prominence in the 1960s avant-garde scene in New York, she produced groundbreaking works spanning painting, sculpture, performance, and installation art. Kusama’s pumpkins—symbolising comfort, stability, and nostalgia from her rural childhood—have become some of her most recognisable motifs. Her art blends psychological intensity with bold minimalism, often exploring themes of infinity, self-obliteration, and the relationship between the individual and the universe. Today, she remains a central figure in global contemporary art, with her exhibitions drawing millions of visitors worldwide. 58 by 58 cm.