STEDELIJK MUSEUM OPENS LANDMARK YAYOI KUSAMA RETROSPECTIVE
Spanning seven decades of painting, sculpture, and immersive installation, the show features a newly created work alongside pieces never before exhibited in Europe.
The Stedelijk Museum opened a landmark retrospective of Yayoi Kusama (1929–2026) on September 11 — one of the most influential and pioneering artists of the 20th and 21st centuries, who died on August 14 in a Tokyo hospital at the age of 97. The exhibition traces more than seven decades of Kusama's groundbreaking work, delving into the wide range of artistic media she worked with over the years, including painting, sculpture, installation, drawing, fashion, collage, happenings, and more.
Kusama was internationally renowned for her exploration of themes such as infinity, self-obliteration, and repetition. Her distinctive use of polka dots, mirror rooms, and immersive installations became emblematic of her artistic vision. Her work invites viewers into dynamic environments that blur the boundaries between the observer and the infinite, challenging perceptions of space and the self. Among the show's highlights is a specially created new version of her iconic installations, embodying these central themes.
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Yayoi Kusama, 'Infinity Mirrored Room—Illusion Inside the Heart', 2025. Mirror-polished stainless steel with glass mirrors and colored acrylic, inside view. Collection of the artist. Courtesy of Ota Fine Arts. Photo: Peter Tijhuis © YAYOI KUSAMA
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Infinity Mirrored Room – 'The Hope of the Polka Dots Buried in Infinity Will Eternally Cover the Universe', 2025. Mixed media, detail. Photo: Peter Tijhuis. © YAYOI KUSAMA
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Installation view 'Yayoi Kusama', 2026, Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam. Photo: Peter Tijhuis © YAYOI KUSAMA
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Installation view 'Yayoi Kusama', 2026, Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam. Photo: Peter Tijhuis © YAYOI KUSAMA
Kusama began her career in Japan in the early 1950s and later moved to New York, where she became a key figure in avant-garde movements of the 1960s. Her practice spanned multiple disciplines — painting, sculpture, performance, fashion, and literature — continually pushing the boundaries of contemporary art. This retrospective traces her remarkable evolution, from her early works in Matsumoto, Japan, to her innovative creations in New York and her most recent production from Tokyo. Alongside her most iconic pieces, the selection includes historic works never before shown in Europe, as well as new pieces created specifically for the occasion.
The presentation underscores Kusama's lasting relevance and her remarkable influence worldwide. It is organized in collaboration with Fondation Beyeler in Basel (October 12, 2025 – January 25, 2026) and Museum Ludwig in Cologne (March 14, 2026 – August 2, 2026). At the Stedelijk, the retrospective runs from September 11, 2026, until January 17, 2027.
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