Ascension of Polkadots on the Trees 2006

Yayoi Kusama made this piece, Ascension of Polkadots on the Trees, with a very specific approach. She's taken the natural forms of trees and transformed them with her signature polka dots. What strikes me is how the dots aren’t just decorations; they're almost like a second skin for the trees. They cling to every branch and curve, creating this wild, all-over pattern. The red and white are so intense; it's a visual feast. You can see the texture where the dots have been applied. It's very tactile, and makes you want to reach out and touch it. I'm reminded of the way Joan Miró used to play with shapes and colors in his paintings, creating his own sort of visual language. Like Miró, Kusama is using art to transform the ordinary into something extraordinary. Kusama invites us to see the world in a new way, even if that world is as familiar as the trees along the street.