'Red Hat' by Yayoi Kusama is a captivating piece that centers around a brilliant red hat as its primary subject, set against a deep blue backdrop. The hat itself is adorned with dots, and a patterned bow encircles it, featuring three delicate white blossoms. This artwork's visual complexity emerges from Kusama's brilliant use of vibrant colors and striking graphic elements that are layered and juxtaposed to create contrasts.

Details:
Artist: Yayoi Kusama
Title: 'Red Hat'
Date: 2000
Medium: Print
Dimensions: 38 x 47 cm
Provenance: Private collection
FRAMED

About the artist:
Yayoi Kusama is a multidisciplinary artist known for her provocative and avant-garde works encompassing painting, sculpture, film, and performance art. Born in 1929 in Matsumoto City, Japan, Kusama began painting at the young age of 10, using art as an outlet to escape a challenging childhood and express her early encounters with hallucinogenic visions, often characterized by dots and patterns. These visions have continued to profoundly influence her art.

Inspired by a letter from Georgia O’Keeffe, Kusama moved to New York City in 1957, where she became a controversial and influential member of the city's avant-garde scene. She gained notoriety for her meticulous and seemingly endless repetitive motifs in paintings and sculptures, such as the 'Infinity Nets' series. Kusama also organized elaborate happenings and performances throughout the city, pushing artistic boundaries and collaborating with prominent figures like Andy Warhol and Claes Oldenburg.

In the 1970s, she returned to Japan and lived in a mental hospital, where she wrote surreal short stories and poems. Later, she revisited her iconic polka dots and 'Infinity Nets' themes in her art, creating immersive installations filled with mirrors and reflections. In 1993, Kusama represented Japan at the Venice Biennale, which significantly elevated her international recognition.

Yayoi Kusama has received numerous accolades, including the Ordre des Arts et Lettres from the French Ministry of Culture and the Praemium Imperiale prize from the Japanese Art Association. She is celebrated for her large public sculptures, films, and documentaries, and her works have set record prices at auction, making her the best-selling living female artist as of 2008. Today, Kusama continues to live and work in Tokyo, leaving an indelible mark on the art world.