Yayoi Kusama’s art reshaped recognition of neurodivergent artists
Yayoi Kusama, the Japanese artist who has died aged 97, is remembered as a pioneering figure whose openly discussed mental health struggles and neurodivergence shaped her work. Her hallucinations and compulsive perceptions of dots, flowers and infinity became central to art that influenced the New York avant garde and pop art, while helping broaden recognition of neurodivergent artists.
Kusama described making art as essential to managing pain, anxiety and fear, and voluntarily entered a Tokyo mental-health facility in the 1970s while continuing to work nearby. Her repetitive dot and flower motifs, alongside immersive mirror-and-light installations, translated sensory overload into widely celebrated experiences; Tate Modern extended her Infinity Mirror Rooms exhibition from 2022 until 2024 because of demand. The article links her legacy to growing recognition for disabled and autistic artists, including 2025 Turner Prize winner Nnena Kalu.
- Kusama turned hallucinations and fear into influential, immersive art.
- Her openness helped challenge stigma around mental illness and neurodivergence.
- Her legacy resonates with today’s recognised neurodivergent artists.
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Originally published by The Guardian as “‘I fight pain and fear with art’: how Yayoi Kusama blazed a trail for neurodivergent artists”.