Yayoi Kusama at the Stedelijk Museum

Please note: This lecture will be delivered in Dutch.

Who hasn’t heard of Yayoi Kusama’s colourful dots and endless mirrored rooms? She was known as ‘The Princess of Polka Dots’, and those dots are inextricably linked to both her work and her life. We’ll take you on a journey through the infinite universe of this Japanese artist, who is regarded as one of the most influential figures in 20th- and 21st-century art.

Her career, spanning seven decades, is surprisingly multifaceted: we delve into her paintings, sculptures, installations, drawings, collages, happenings, live performances, fashion and literature. Kusama’s work is characterised by obsession and escapism. To cope with her chronic anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder and hallucinations, she filled spaces with dots to capture a sense of boundlessness, from her world-famous Infinity Mirror Rooms to her iconic polka-dot pumpkins. In this way, Kusama welcomed visitors into her own safe, infinite world.

The retrospective exhibition at the Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam, due to open in the autumn of 2026, is the largest the museum has ever dedicated to a single artist and was curated in close collaboration with Kusama and her studio. On 14 August 2026, Kusama passed away at the age of 97, meaning that the exhibition has unexpectedly become a posthumous tribute, featuring, amongst other things, a brand-new mirror room created especially for Amsterdam. In this talk, Barry Heinrichs will tell you everything you need to know about Yayoi Kusama’s work and about the exhibition in particular, to help you prepare for a visit to the Stedelijk Museum!

How does that work online?

You can follow this lecture online on your own computer or tablet. All you need is a good internet connection and sound. The lecturer and images will then appear automatically on your screen. If you are unable to attend ‘live’, you can watch the lecture at a later time. You can therefore still register after the lecture has finished.