Yayoi Kusama - 20th Century & Contemporary Art Day Sale, Morning Session New York Wednesday, November 16, 2022 | Phillips

20th Century & Contemporary Art Day Sale,...

New York Auction 16 November 2022

  • "The thought of continually eating something like macaroni, spat out by machinery, fills me with fear and revulsion, so I make macaroni sculptures. I make them and make them and then keep on making them, until I bury myself in the process. I call this obliteration."
    —Yayoi Kusama

    • Provenance

      Galleria del Naviglio, Milan
      Private Collection, Europe
      Private Collection, Italy (acquired from the above)
      Sotheby’s, Hong Kong, April 3, 2017, lot 896
      Acquired at the above sale by the present owner

    • Artist Biography

      Yayoi Kusama

      Japanese

      Named "the world's most popular artist" in 2015, it's not hard to see why Yayoi Kusama continues to dazzle contemporary art audiences globally. From her signature polka dots—"fabulous," she calls them—to her mirror-and-light Infinity Rooms, Kusama's multi-dimensional practice of making art elevates the experience of immersion. To neatly pin an artistic movement onto Kusama would be for naught: She melds and transcends the aesthetics and theories of many late twentieth century movements, including Pop Art and Minimalism, without ever taking a singular path.

       

      As an nonagenarian who still lives in Tokyo and steadfastly paints in her studio every day, Kusama honed her punchy cosmic style in New York City in the 1960s. During this period, she staged avant-garde happenings, which eventually thrust her onto the international stage with a series of groundbreaking exhibitions at the Museum of Modern Art in the 1980s and the 45th Venice Biennale in 1993. She continues to churn out paintings and installations at inspiring speed, exhibiting internationally in nearly every corner of the globe, and maintains a commanding presence on the primary market and at auction.

       
      View More Works

138

Yayoi Kusama

No. B

signed, titled and dated "NO. B KUSAMA 1964" on the reverse
macaroni and paint on panel
13 1/8 x 11 in. (33.3 x 27.9 cm)
Executed in 1964, this work is accompanied by a registration card issued by Yayoi Kusama Inc.

Full Cataloguing

Estimate
$150,000 - 200,000 

Contact Specialist

Annie Dolan
Specialist, Head of Day Sale, Morning Session
+1 212 940 1288
adolan@phillips.com

20th Century & Contemporary Art Day Sale, Morning Session

New York Auction 16 November 2022