Yayoi Kusama: Self Obliteration Short Film by Martín Rietti

With a career defined by exhibitions in the world’s most prestigious institutions, it’s no surprise that Yayoi Kusama‘s work might take a toll on her personal psyche. We know Kusama as the master of polka dot immersion – or ‘infinity nets’ as she calls them – but we rarely look to her struggles with depression or perceptions of ‘reality’. These aspects of the artist’s life have thus far been masked within her work, expressed through use of clashing colors and hypnotizing primitivist patterning – all of which harken to Kusama’s childhood struggles with self-obliteration. Filmmaker and director Martín Rietti sat down with the 84 year-old visionary ahead of her new exhibition in Buenos Aires, hoping to explore Kusama’s mind and thought process while continuing to produce some of the most innovative work today. Enjoy the video above.