Yayoi Kusama is one of the most recognizable figures in modern art, famous for her immersive installations and signature motifs. Her long career has spanned several continents and decades of creative experimentation.
This quiz looks at her signature style, her standard techniques, and the milestones of her career. You will see questions about her life in New York, her mental health struggles, and her giant outdoor works.
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Which of these repeating motifs is the signature element most commonly associated with Yayoi Kusama’s artwork?
Polka dots
Polka dots
Stripes
Stripes
Floral prints
Floral prints
Plaid patterns
Plaid patterns
In which global city did Yayoi Kusama live and work during the 1960s, a period where she became involved in the avant-garde art scene?
London
London
Tokyo
Tokyo
Paris
Paris
New York City
New York City
Yayoi Kusama’s famous ‘Infinity Mirror Rooms’ primarily use which of the following to create the illusion of endless space?
Mirrors and light
Mirrors and light
Video installation
Video installation
Oil paint and canvas
Oil paint and canvas
Bronze casting
Bronze casting
Where has Yayoi Kusama voluntarily resided since 1977 while continuing her prolific artistic output?
A corporate artist residency
A corporate artist residency
A mountain retreat
A mountain retreat
A remote island studio
A remote island studio
A psychiatric hospital in Tokyo
A psychiatric hospital in Tokyo
Kusama has stated that her repetitive use of dots is rooted in her lifelong struggle with which of the following?
Childhood dreams
Childhood dreams
Hallucinations
Hallucinations
Migraines
Migraines
Mathematical theorems
Mathematical theorems
Which of the following was NOT a key activity or series for Yayoi Kusama during her time in 1960s New York?
1,000 Boats Show
1,000 Boats Show
Architectural blueprints of skyscrapers
Architectural blueprints of skyscrapers
Happenings or ‘orgies’
Happenings or ‘orgies’
Accumulation sculptures
Accumulation sculptures
In which year did Yayoi Kusama debut her first ‘Infinity Mirror Room’, titled ‘Phalli’s Field’?
1967
1967
1965
1965
1961
1961
1963
1963
During her 1960s New York years, what art movement was Kusama often associated with alongside contemporaries like Andy Warhol?
Installation art
Installation art
Pop art
Pop art
Minimalism
Minimalism
Surrealism
Surrealism
In which Japanese city was Yayoi Kusama born?
Matsumoto, Nagano Prefecture
Matsumoto, Nagano Prefecture
A rural village in Hokkaido
A rural village in Hokkaido
The outskirts of Osaka
The outskirts of Osaka
Kyoto City center
Kyoto City center
What specific series of paintings, characterized by repetitive sweeping brushstrokes, did Kusama begin in the late 1950s?
Pumpkin sculptures
Pumpkin sculptures
Large-scale mural photography
Large-scale mural photography
The ‘Infinity Net’ paintings
The ‘Infinity Net’ paintings
Textile clothing design
Textile clothing design
Which organic form has become one of Kusama’s most famous recurring subjects, often featured as large-scale sculptures?
Pumpkins
Pumpkins
Sunflowers
Sunflowers
Tulips
Tulips
Chrysanthemums
Chrysanthemums
Upon moving to the United States in the late 1950s, which prominent American artist did Kusama correspond with to seek career advice?
Helen Frankenthaler
Helen Frankenthaler
Georgia O’Keeffe
Georgia O’Keeffe
Eva Hesse
Eva Hesse
Lee Krasner
Lee Krasner
In which decade did Yayoi Kusama return to significant international prominence after representing Japan at the Venice Biennale?
1980s
1980s
1990s
1990s
2000s
2000s
1970s
1970s
In 2012, Kusama gained renewed widespread fame from a high-profile collaboration with which luxury fashion house?
Louis Vuitton
Louis Vuitton
Gucci
Gucci
Chanel
Chanel
Prada
Prada
What term did Yayoi Kusama use to describe her philosophical concept of losing one’s identity within the vastness of her repetitive patterns?
Self-Obliteration
Self-Obliteration
The Infinite Void
The Infinite Void
Space Reflection
Space Reflection
The Painted Eye
The Painted Eye
Which famous Japanese avant-garde artist did Kusama clash with in early Japanese media before her move to New York?
Takashi Murakami
Takashi Murakami
Taro Okamoto
Taro Okamoto
Yoshitomo Nara
Yoshitomo Nara
Daisaku Ikeda
Daisaku Ikeda
Kusama’s ‘Accumulation’ series featured furniture or objects completely covered in what specific items?
Steel industrial beams
Steel industrial beams
Cast iron kitchenware
Cast iron kitchenware
Plastic light fixtures
Plastic light fixtures
Fabric-covered phallic shapes
Fabric-covered phallic shapes
In what year did Kusama host the controversial ‘Grand Orgy to Awaken the Dead’ at the Museum of Modern Art’s sculpture garden?
1969
1969
1973
1973
1971
1971
1967
1967
Which of these nicknames has occasionally been used in the media to describe Yayoi Kusama?
The Sculptor of Shadow
The Sculptor of Shadow
The Neon Countess
The Neon Countess
The Priestess of Polka Dots
The Priestess of Polka Dots
The Queen of Quilts
The Queen of Quilts
Which interactive installation invites gallery visitors to cover a stark white room with colorful dot stickers?
Mirror of My Mind
Mirror of My Mind
Dot Horizon
Dot Horizon
Obliteration Room
Obliteration Room
The Space Between
The Space Between
In her early ‘Infinity Net’ works—which established the foundation for her later style—what tool did she primarily use to create the repetitive texture?
Spray paint cans
Spray paint cans
Her hands and a cloth
Her hands and a cloth
Paintbrushes
Paintbrushes
A specialized digital projector
A specialized digital projector
Which art-focused island in Japan features several outdoor permanent sculptures by Kusama, including her famous yellow pumpkin?
Sapporo
Sapporo
Naoshima
Naoshima
Osaka
Osaka
Tokyo
Tokyo
You can do better
Not bad
Great!
When you are done, look at other trivia. Learn about various art movements, explore famous islands and beaches, or read up on more famous artists.





