Kusama Yayoi Dies at 97

Avant-garde artist Yayoi Kusama, renowned for her colorful polka dot and mesh pattern artworks and iconic pumpkin sculptures, died on August 14 at age 97 from multiple organ failure. After moving to New York in 1957, she became known as the "Queen of Happenings" for her street performances and anti-war activism, with her signature patterns stemming from childhood hallucinations she sought to escape through art. Her work gained significant international recognition from the 1990s onward, including representation at the Venice Biennale and major retrospectives at leading Western museums.