Yayoi Kusama once sold 1,500 mirrored balls for $2 each at the 1966 Venice Biennale without an official invitation; decades later one of her artworks sold for $10.5 million

Japanese avant-garde artist Yayoi Kusama, known for her polka dots, mirrored installations and pumpkin sculptures, died on August 14, 2026, at the age of 97, according to the Yayoi Kusama Museum. Reuters reported her death on August 27, 2026.

Decades before Kusama became a globally recognised artist whose works commanded millions of dollars, she staged an unusual art sale at the Venice Biennale. In 1966, she installed 1,500 mirrored plastic balls outside the Italian Pavilion at the 33rd Venice Biennale, despite not receiving an official invitation to exhibit.