ART & DESIGN

Photos: Yayoi Kusama celebrates the opening of her retrospective at the Whitney Museum


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Photographer: François Halard

As Yayoi Kusama celebrates the opening of her retrospective at the Whitney Museum—as well as a collaboration with Louis Vuitton—her lifelong dream of superstardom is finally a reality. Arthur Lubow discovers why the whole world is mad for Japan’s most iconoclastic artist.

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Photographer: François Halard

Yayoi Kusama

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Photographer: François Halard

A young Yayoi Kusama (second from right) in Japan with her family.

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Photographer: François Halard

The artist staging one of her happenings, 1968.

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Photographer: François Halard

Kusama’s 1951 painting Heart.

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Photographer: François Halard

Infinity-Nets (TBBBTY), 2008.

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Photographer: François Halard

“Hi, Konnichiwa (Hello!)” installation from Kusama’s 2004 solo exhibition at Mori Art Museum in Tokyo.

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Photographer: François Halard

Her Narcissus Garden installation at the 1966 Venice Biennale.

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Photographer: François Halard

Kusama’s 1967 happening Horse Play.

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Photographer: François Halard

The artist with one of her “Accumulation” works, 1966.

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Photographer: François Halard

Bachelor, a happening staged in 1969.

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Photographer: François Halard

Kusama in her New York studio in 1960.

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Photographer: François Halard

The Anatomic Explosion happening held at the New York Stock Exchange, 1968.

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Photographer: François Halard

The artist posing in her monkey-fur coat, 1964.

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Photographer: François Halard

The 2011 installation Infinity Mirrored Room— Filled With the Brilliance of Life.

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Photographer: François Halard

With Donald Judd, 1978.

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Photographer: François Halard

Louis Vuitton leather bags featuring Kusama’s designs, photographed by Nobuyoshi Araki for W.

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Photographer: François Halard

Kusama wearing sunglasses from her collaboration with Louis Vuitton.