Yayoi Kusama: From Here to Infinity!
by Sarah Suzuki (Author) Ellen Weinstein (Illustrator)
Growing up in the mountains of Japan, Yayoi Kusama (b. 1929) dreamed of becoming an artist. One day, she had a vision in which the world and everything in it--the plants, the people, the sky--were covered in polka dots. She began to cover her paintings, drawings, sculptures, and even her body with dots.
As she grew up, she traveled all around the world, from Tokyo to Seattle, New York to Venice, and brought her dots with her. Different people saw these dots in different ways--some thought they were tiny, like cells, and others imagined them enormous, like planets. Every year, Kusama sees more of the world, covering it with dots and offering people a way to experience it the way she does.
Written by Sarah Suzuki, a curator at The Museum of Modern Art, and featuring reproductions of Kusama's instantly recognizable artworks, this colorful book tells the story of an artist whose work will not be complete until her dots cover the world, from here to infinity.
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School Library Journal
K-Gr 3—This picture book biography is an ode to the life and work of noted pop artist Yayoi Kusama. Born in Japan in 1929, Kusama grew up under the strict eye of her mother but chafed at the traditional expectations that were laid at her feet and desired instead to pursue art. After an unsatisfactory experience at a Japanese art school, Kusama decamped to New York City to use painting and sculpture to explore the visions and dreams she had experienced since childhood. She eventually found success with her now-famous polka dots and studies of the notion of infinity. This is a gentle portrayal of a beloved artist and the author glosses over the more difficult aspects of her life, instead emphasizing her artwork and the artist's view of the world. Weinstein's illustrations incorporate both a minimalist aesthetic as well as Kusama's cherished polka dots, which appear in every spread, making vibrant and interesting paintings that complement the somewhat dreamy, ethereal story. Photographs of the artist and some of her more famous pieces are included, as well as a brief author's note that shares a bit more detail about her current life. Creamy pages covered in colorful, almost-geometric illustrations make for a beautifully designed, spare narrative of a popular and influential contemporary artist that is just begging to be shared with a wide audience. VERDICT Highly recommended.—Jody Kopple, Shady Hill School, Cambridge, MA
Copyright 2017 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.Review quotes
- Kirkus Reviews— (10/01/2017)
JNF006040 - Juvenile Nonfiction | Art | History
