Yayoi Kusama's Evolving Approach to Self-Portraiture: Identity, Infinity, and the Self
Self-Portrait Kusama 217 © Yayoi Kusama 1995
Yayoi Kusama
281 works
Key Takeaways
Yayoi Kusama, a visionary in contemporary art, has redefined self-portraiture through her exploration of identity, infinity, and self-obliteration. Her self-portraits, characterised by repetitive motifs, polka dots, and immersive environments, reflect her ongoing quest to merge her sense of self with the infinite cosmos. Drawing from her personal experiences, including struggles with mental health, Kusama uses art as a medium to confront, deconstruct, and redefine her identity.
Yayoi Kusama, a groundbreaking and influential presence in contemporary art, has spent decades delving into the depths of self-perception. Her work, often characterised by repetitive Infinity Net patterns, polka dots, and immersive installations, transcends the traditional boundaries of artistic expression. Kusama’s evolving approach to self-portraiture is a profound exploration of her identity, a medium through which she confronts, deconstructs, and redefines her sense of self, infinity, and self-obliteration.
Thematic Exploration of Kusama’s Self-Portraiture
Identity and Self-Obliteration
Kusama’s Self-portraits are a vivid exploration of the dissolution of identity, a theme central to her wider oeuvre. Her iconic use of polka dots is more than a visual motif, it is a symbolic representation of her desire to merge with her surroundings, to obliterate the boundaries between herself and the infinite universe. This process of self-obliteration, where the artist’s identity dissolves into a sea of repetitive patterns, originates from frightening hallucinations Kusama experienced as a child, where she recounts, “The polka dots… they started to expand in my body, covering the walls, the ceiling, and finally the whole universe.” Kusama often positions herself as both the focal point and a part of the larger, infinite spaces she creates, challenging the viewer’s perception of individuality and the self. By representing her self-identity as polka dots, Kusama simultaneously depicts her individual self, whilst also obliterating an egocentric view of her identity through her interconnectedness with the universe.
Infinity and the Self
Kusama’s obsession with infinity is intricately woven into her self-portraits. Her works frequently place her image at the centre of the composition, gazing out at the viewer and surrounded by vast, seemingly endless environments of Infinity Nets. By creating distinctly abstract self-portraits, Kusama becomes a part of the cosmos, her image dissolving into infinity, reflecting not only her desire to ‘unite’ with the universe, but also providing a peaceful, grounding meditation through which she can explore her identity.
Mental Health and the Artist's Identity
Kusama’s ongoing struggles with mental health, particularly her experiences with hallucinations and obsessive thoughts, have profoundly shaped her self-representation. Kusama’s work often reflects her attempts to make sense of her inner turmoil, creating self-portraits that are not just reflections of her physical appearance, but also expressions of her fluctuating psychological state. In particular, her Self-portrait, Kusama 221 reveals a darker, more tumultuous state of mind, the enclosing, dark web of shading and lack of human subject providing a more ominous self-representation than other pieces. These layers of complexity within her self-portraits confront the instability of her identity, creating works that are as much about self-obliteration, as they are about self-discovery.
Kusama’s Personal & Artistic Evolution Through Self-Portraiture
Self-Portrait Kusama 9 (Signed Print)
Kusama’s Self-Portrait Kusama 9 (1982), is a striking example of the artist's exploration of identity and the self. In this work, Kusama utilises her signature Infinity Net motifs and vibrant colours to create a powerful, introspective image. The portrait’s intricate, web-like structures seem to envelop the figure and dissolve Kusama into her surroundings, reflecting her experience of hallucinations and fascination with infinity. The intensity of the composition evokes a sense of both self-assertion and self-dissolution, illustrating Kusama's complex relationship with her own psyche. The work is emblematic of Kusama's broader oeuvre, where personal experience, mental illness, and creative expression intertwine to produce visually and emotionally compelling art.
Self-Portrait Kusama 221 (Signed Print)
In Self-portrait, Kusama 221 (1995), we see an unnerving transition from Self-Portrait Kusama 9. Instead of a brightly coloured, recognisable image of Kusama, this piece is composed of a blank oval, bearing a backdrop of Kusama’s signature net pattern, completely surrounded by a dense, black matting of Infinity Nets. Here, Kusama uses her image not merely as a representation of her physical self but as a tool for exploring broader existential themes.This intensely abstract self-depiction offers connotations of a black hole, a spider's web or a featureless face, all suggesting complete and utter obliteration of the self into the cosmos. Kusama’s repeated use of Infinity Nets align with her desire to show her ‘unity’ with her environment, and her obliteration of her unique facial features allude to Kusama’s attempts to find her place in the cosmos. This piece is a powerful testament to Kusama’s unique approach to self-portraiture, where the act of self-representation becomes an exploration of the dissolution of self.
Self-Portrait Kusama 217 (Signed Print)
In Self-Portrait Kusama 217 (1995), Kusama continues her thematic exploration of the self in relation to space and repetition, however she returns back to a less explicitly abstract depiction than Self-portrait, Kusama 221. The print features her likeness interwoven with patterns that extend beyond the frame, suggesting an infinite expanse. The repetitive motifs echo her other works, creating a sense of continuity across her oeuvre. This print, like many others, positions Kusama within an endless environment of Dots and Nets, blurring the lines between the self and the infinite, and reinforcing her ongoing quest to understand her place within the universe.
However, as Kusama’s artistic vision and mental health evolves, we see this reflected through her self-portraits. This piece's lack of colour suggests an even deeper dissolution into the cosmos, where colour is no longer a useful point of identity, however Kusama seems to have re-assumed her facial features, marking a step away from a complete self-obliteration.
External Examples of Kusama’s Self-Portraiture
Performance Art
Kusama’s self-portraiture extends beyond traditional mediums and into the realm of performance art. Kusama's involvement with popular media was often criticised by the art world for blurring the lines between ‘high art’ and mass culture, her engagement a complex parody of challenging conventional ideas about art and creativity. Kusama is documented on film and in real-time, using costumes and props, or posing nude on her phallus sculptures covered in polka dots.
Kusama also explored notions of identity through employing outside subjects. Her series of Happenings throughout New York in the 1960s, such as Anatomic Explosion and Mirror Performance, often featured nude bodies as a canvas, Kusama painting them with polka dots and immersing her subjects into larger environments. These performances can be seen as living self-portraits, where Kusama uses physical canvases as part of an immersive artistic experience. These acts of self-representation further blur the boundaries between the self and the environment, expanding the traditional definition of self-portraiture.
Infinity Mirror Rooms
Kusama’s Infinity Mirror Room - Phalli's Field (Floor Show) (1965) is perhaps Kusama’s most iconic exploration of self-portraiture using her innovative Infinity Mirror Rooms. These installations create spaces where Kusama’s image is reflected infinitely, creating a visual metaphor for her recurring themes of infinity and self-obliteration. In these rooms, the viewer is invited to experience the dissolution of the self, mirroring Kusama’s own artistic journey. The mirrors multiply the viewer’s image, just as they do with Kusama’s, reinforcing the idea that the self is not a singular entity but a part of an infinite continuum.
Other Mediums
Kusama’s self-portraits in film further explore her identity as an artist, her appearance in the film Kusama: Infinity (2018) serving as a form of self-portraiture. Directed by Heather Lenz, the film explores Kusama's journey, from her conservative upbringing in Japan, to becoming a global art phenomenon. It highlights her struggles with mental health, her relentless pursuit of artistic expression, and her defiance of traditional gender roles in a male-dominated art world. This film contributes to a more comprehensive understanding of Kusama’s evolving identity.
Kusama’s Impact on Contemporary Self-Portraiture
Influence on Contemporary Artists
Kusama’s innovative approach to self-portraiture has left a lasting impact on contemporary art. Her deep exploration of the self through different mediums has influenced countless artists, such as Chiharu Shiota, whose installation Who Am I Tomorrow (2023) explores similar themes of interconnectedness and identity. . Kusama’s ability to merge her physical presence with larger existential themes has expanded the possibilities of self-portraiture, inspiring a new generation of artists to push the boundaries of how identity can be represented.
The Ever-Evolving Self of Yayoi Kusama
Kusama’s self-portraiture is Kusama's self-portraiture is a profound, ever-evolving exploration of identity, infinity, and self-obliteration. Through her innovative use of repeated motifs, immersive environments, and performance, Kusama reflects her personal experiences and mental health struggles, transcending traditional boundaries of art, and offering a unique lens through which we can understand the complexities of the self. Kusama’s self-portraits, both haunting and mesmerising, invite us to reconsider the nature of existence and our place within the infinite universe.
Yayoi Kusama
281 works
