Sunlight 1998

Yayoi Kusama created "Sunlight" with paint, covering the surface with a field of red and white dots. The pattern might seem simple, yet it speaks to the artist's complex relationship with the world around her. Born in Japan in 1929, Kusama has experienced mental health challenges throughout her life, and she voluntarily lives in a psychiatric institution. Her repetitive patterns, like the ones we see here, are both a symptom and a method of coping with her condition. By reproducing these obsessions in her art, she gains some control over them, and invites viewers to share her perspective. Kusama's work gained prominence during the rise of Pop Art and Minimalism, movements that challenged traditional notions of artistic skill and authorship. We can research these and the artist’s biography to further understand Kusama’s place in the art world. It highlights the role of art as a medium to express personal experiences and critique social norms.