One of the most renowned living artists to come out of Japan, Yayoi Kusama needs no introduction. Her work, often coming in the form of sculptures and installations, is instantly recognizable, mostly thanks to the brightly-coloured polka dots that are often featured. Art has had a therapeutic, healing effect on Kusama. She has been open about her struggles with mental health, something she has been dealing with for almost her entire life. In 1977, she found a doctor who was using art therapy as a treatment method and checked herself into the hospital. This would end up saving her life, with art becoming the primary way she would express her feelings and alleviate the emotional pain that stemmed from her symptoms. Even now, she continues to uphold a permanent residence in the hospital, with her studio being a short distance away from it.

When she was ten years old, Kusama began to experience vivid hallucinations, described by her as flashes of lights and fields of dots. When she would see patterns, they would “come to life”, multiplying and engulfing her vision. After she began to experience these hallucinations, she turned to art to escape from her own mind. In “Mushrooms”, the emphasis on visual repetition and patterns are apparent. The painting, which is acrylic on canvas, is a quintessential Kusama piece. Brightly-coloured dots speckle the mushrooms in the painting. As well, the background features a grid-like pattern, lines clashing into each other to create a dizzying pattern that almost looks three-dimensional. Furthermore, the bright colours used by Kusama add to the disorienting effect of the piece. The mushrooms contrast with the electric pink background, with stark colours such as red, yellow, and black jumping out almost immediately.

“Mushrooms” can be overstimulating at first glance; there is almost too much to look at, between the colours and the patterns and their almost-tumultuous relationship within the composition. And yet, through the noise, Kusama’s artistic talent shines through. There is beauty within the chaos; a reflection of her inner processes, including her hallucinations. Through “Mushrooms”, Kusama reflects what she sees to audiences who do not share her reality or her symptoms. This resulting visualization is striking and captivating, and something that is hard to look away from, despite the initial shock to the system.

Kusama’s symptoms, while having the potential to be debilitating, have led to her producing awe-inspiring work. Her resilience is commendable, as well as her ability to take her circumstances and channel the complexity of her mind into art. Whether through paintings, sculptures, or interactive public exhibitions at art galleries, Kusama will continue to express herself through her work, sharing her unique point of view with the world.

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Feature Image: Mushrooms by Yayoi Kusama