10 Facts About Yayoi Kusama's Pumpkins

This artwork marked the inception of a motif that would become integral to her legacy. While Kusama has explored a myriad of themes and mediums throughout her career, the pumpkin holds a place of particular significance. Originating in the post-war era, Kabocha (Pumpkin) not only showcases Kusama's style but also offers a glimpse into her personal connection to the vegetable, rooted in her family's occupation. This early piece foreshadowed the pumpkin's recurrent presence in Kusama's oeuvre, from sculptures and paintings to large-scale installations.

Kusama's partnership with the prestigious Tate Modern Gallery led to the birth of a series of soft pumpkins, marking a unique tangent in her pumpkin-infused journey. While Kusama's earlier works mostly manifested in robust sculptures or vivacious paintings, this collaboration showcased a softer, tactile aspect of her vision. These soft sculptures captured the "warm and human-like" essence of pumpkins that Kusama often referred to. The collaboration was an embodiment of two art powerhouses coming together: Kusama's timeless creativity and Tate's global platform.

Kusama's early introduction to the world of pumpkins was deeply rooted in her family background. Growing up, her parents were involved in the business of selling seeds, immersing Kusama in a universe of agriculture and natural themes. This familial occupation not only acquainted her with various plant species but prominently highlighted the pumpkin, which later would become an emblem in her career.

Kusama's self-developed dot technique transforms a two-dimensional surface into a vivid three-dimensional visual experience for her viewers. By varying the size, density, and arrangement of these dots, Kusama is able to convey the roundness and tactile nature of the pumpkins, adding a sense of volume and spatial perspective.

Kusama’s been able to elevate the humble pumpkin to a symbol comparable to that of a Pop-Art giant. While Andy Warhol's Soup Cans comment on mass production and consumerism in Post-War America, Kusama's pumpkins resonate with personal memories and the intriguing duality of the organic form. Both, in their respective contexts, have become iconic, allowing even the general public to instantly recognize the artist behind the work. This comparison points to the power of everyday objects in the hands of visionaries: a simple item, when seen through their eyes, can become an emblem of their legacy.

The 1980s marked a significant turning point with Kusama’s introduction of pumpkins into her famed Dots. This decade witnessed a merging of two powerful symbols that came to define much of her oeuvre: the pumpkin and the polka dot. The dot, which had been a recurring theme in Kusama's works since the 1960s, representing both obliteration and infinity, found a new canvas in the form of the pumpkin. This integration highlighted the pumpkin's contours and anthropomorphic features, giving it depth and dynamism.

Of Kusama’s top auction sales, pumpkins make up half. Pumpkin (LPASG) of course was the priciest pumpkin boasting a resounding £6 million. Kusama’s standout sculpture, Pumpkin, sold for at £5.3 million; Pumpkin (Twpot) for £5.3 million, Pumpkin for £5.0 million and Pumpkin SKLO for £4.6 million. If the past few years alone are any indicator of their demand, we should expect their value to continue soaring in the secondary market.

While Kusama's sculptures are renowned for their size and evocative textures, her printed artworks captivate with a vibrant array of colours. Beyond her signature black-yellow combination, Kusama often experiments with elaborate palettes, as seen in Pumpkin (multicoloured), which splendidly juxtaposes red, yellow, light blue, and purple to create a sunset-like ambiance. Her meticulous dot technique and ingenious colour blending yield optical illusions of intermediary hues, like shades of pink that don't actually exist, showcasing her prowess in reimagining the traditional still life genre.

In 2021, Kusama’s 2013 Pumpkin (LPASG) artwork sold for over £6 million at Christie's Hong Kong. The staggering amount also positioned the piece as one of Kusama’s highest selling works ever, further solidifying her force in the contemporary art market. Pumpkin (LPASG) epitomises Kusama’s decades-long exploration, fusing her characteristic polka dots with the organic form of the pumpkin. Its 2021 sale at Christie's Hong Kong not only reflects the artwork's individual merit but also the broader trend of growing appreciation for Asian artists in the global art market.

Kusama's iconic pumpkin artworks often incorporate her mesmerising Infinity Net patterns. These patterns, characterised by intricate grids of web-like shapes, symbolise Kusama's lifelong interest in the concept of infinity and provide therapeutic relief for the artist as well. Her fusion of the nets with her pumpkins highlights their relationship between repetition and singularity, embodying her exploration of infinity within a finite form.