Yayoi Kusama - 20th Century & Contemporary Art Day Sale London Wednesday, March 6, 2019 | Phillips

20th Century & Contemporary Art Day Sale

London Auction 8 March 2019

  • Provenance

    Sotheby's, Olympia, 18 June 2007, lot 687
    Private Collection, Europe
    Phillips, London, 30 June 2010, lot 271
    Acquired at the above sale by the present owner

  • Exhibited

    Hong Kong, Sotheby's, Yayoi Kusama. Blooms In My Mind, 19 May - 31 May 2012, no. 6, p. 22 (illustrated)

  • 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

104

Yayoi Kusama

Earth

signed and dated 'Yayoi Kusama 1980' lower right; further signed, titled [in Japanese] and dated 'Yayoi Kusama "Earth" 1980' on the reverse
ink, gouache, pastel and collage on paper
51.3 x 65.8 cm (20 1/4 x 25 7/8 in.)
Executed in 1980, this work is accompanied by a registration card issued by the Yayoi Kusama studio.

Estimate
£40,000 - 60,000 ‡

Sold for £52,500

Contact Specialist
Tamila Kerimova
Specialist, Head of Day Sale
+ 44 20 7318 4065
tkerimova@phillips.com

20th Century & Contemporary Art Day Sale

London Auction 8 March 2019