Yayoi Kusama: An Extraordinary Artist

Yayoi Kusama is a remarkable Japanese artist who has captured the world with her unique
and colorful creations. Born on March 22, 1929, in Matsumoto, Japan, Kusama showed her
love for art at a very young age. Her journey in the art world has been nothing short of
inspiring.

As a child, Kusama spent hours drawing and painting. She saw the world differently, and her
imagination had no limits. Growing up, she faced challenges that made her journey to
becoming an artist quite tough. In Japan during the 1930s and 1940s, many people believed
that art was meant only for men. But Kusama didn't let this stop her. She believed in her
talent and her dream to create art.

In 1957, she left Japan and moved to New York City to pursue her passion. However, being
in a new country and culture brought its own set of challenges. She faced discrimination and
financial difficulties. But Kusama didn't give up. She continued to paint and create art that
was truly unique.

Kusama's art is often characterized by vibrant colors, dots, and patterns. She creates
paintings, sculptures, and installations that are truly one-of-a-kind. One of her most famous
artworks is the "Infinity Mirrors" series, where she fills small rooms with mirrors and colorful
lights, making it seem like you're in a magical universe.

Throughout her life, Kusama has used her art to express her feelings and thoughts. She
often says that her art helps her cope with difficult emotions. Her unique style has made her
famous around the art world, and people from all around the globe admire her work.

Kusama's journey hasn't always been easy. She faced challenges because she was a
woman and because she was different from others. But she never gave up. She believed in
herself and her art. Her determination and hard work paid off, and today, she is considered
one of the most important artists of our time.
Yayoi Kusama's story teaches us that with passion and dedication, we can overcome any
obstacles. Her art reminds us to see the beauty in the world and to express ourselves in our
unique way. She has proven that anyone, no matter where they come from, can make a big
impact with their creativity.

Vocabulary. Match the words from the left column with their correct meanings from
the right column.

1. Remarkable a. Follow or chase after

2. Imagination b. Difficulties or problems

3. Challenges c. Showing feelings or thoughts

4. Pursue d. Unique and different

5. Express e. Creating or forming ideas in the mind

6. Coping f. Dealing with, managing

True or False Exercise

Read each statement below and decide if it is true or false based on the information in the
text. Write "True" if the statement is correct and "False" if the statement is not correct.

1. Yayoi Kusama was born in the 1920s in New York City.

2. Kusama faced challenges as a female artist in a time when many believed art was only for
men.
3. Yayoi Kusama never left Japan and continued to create art there.
4. One of Kusama's famous artworks is a series of paintings with realistic landscapes.
5. Yayoi Kusama's art often includes dots, patterns, and vibrant colors.

Questions about the text:

1. Who is Yayoi Kusama and what is she known for?

2. What challenges did Yayoi Kusama face on her journey to becoming an artist?
3. Describe Kusama's artistic style and some of her famous artworks.
4. How did Yayoi Kusama use her art to express her feelings and thoughts?
5. What does Yayoi Kusama's story teach us, and what impact has she made in the art
world?

promise, owned, men, moved, sketchbook, thousands, rebellious, surrounded, against,

sculptures
When Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama first ____________(1) to New York City, she stood at
the top of the Empire State Building and made a ___________(2) to herself. She would
become world famous for her paintings, her ____________(3), and her extraordinary
creative energy. She was ____________(4) of miles away from home, and she finally felt
free.

Yayoi was born in Matsumoto, a city in Japan __________(5) by mountains and nature. Her
parents ___________(6) a seed nursery which grew flowers to sell across the country. Yayoi
would sit in the flower beds with her _____(7) and get lost in her imagination. She knew,
even when she was very young, that she wanted to be an artist. But her parents were
_____(8) the idea. At the time, most artists in Japan were _____(9). Yayoi's mum wanted
Yayoi to become a housewife. They got into terrible fights, but Yayoi was _____(10) and
unstoppable. When her mum snatched away her canvases, she used old sacks instead.

Put the paragraphs in order

One day, Yayoi was sitting in the flower beds when all the flowers seemed to come to life.
Their heads were like dots that went on as far as she could see. She felt as if she was being
obliterated or breaking into little pieces and disappearing into a field of endless dots. After
Yayoi got home, she sketched lots and lots of the never-ending fields of flowers and what
she'd seen in the field. Drawing helped her to feel calmer and more in control. She could
break herself into dots, or self-obliterate, and become one with her surroundings. She also
used dots to connect with other people, like in this drawing of her mum.

A few years later, Yayoi saw the work of a famous and much older artist called Georgia
O'Keeffe, who lived across the world in America. She decided to send Georgia a letter and
some watercolour paintings she'd made. To her surprise, Georgia replied, and even said she
showed the watercolours to her art dealer! The letter was the start of a new adventure. Yayoi
would later write, If Georgia had not answered my letter, I'm not sure I would ever have
made it to America. It was because of her that I was able to go to the USA and begin my
artist career in earnest.

When Yayoi was 27 years old, she packed 2,000 drawings into her suitcase and got on a
plane. Away from her parents, she could paint from morning to night. She worked on giant
canvases and became known for putting dots on walls, on clothes, on people, even on a
horse! Yayoi found lots of fans who wanted her to paint dots on their bodies so they could
become a part of her artworks. She finally met Georgia O'Keeffe in person, and made friends
with other famous American artists, including Andy Warhol, Joseph Cornell and Donald
Judd. But like in Japan, most of the artists in New York were men. Yayoi had to work extra
hard to stand out, and sometimes this would leave her feeling exhausted and anxious. But
making art was a safe space for her, where she could feel at peace.

Now in her 90s, Yayoi is famous around the world for her work, just like she promised herself
that day at the Empire State Building. She sees herself as a single dot, and everyone in the
world is a dot connected to another dot. Our Earth is like one little polka dot among millions
of other celestial bodies, she once wrote. Let's forget ourselves and become one with the
universe.
When do you feel most connected with the world? And what would that look like in a
drawing?

Correct answers:
1. moved
2. promise
3. sculptures
4. thousands
5. surrounded
6. owned
7. sketchbook
8. against
9. men
10. rebellious