Yayoi Kusama // Old Flame, 1953

  • Yayoi Kusama, Old Flame, 1953. Pastel and ink on paper, 15.6 × 22.9 cm. Small-scale composition, signed and titled on the reverse.
    Old Flame, 1953
    Pastel and ink on paper, 15.6 × 22.9 cm (6⅛ × 9 in.)
    © Yayoi Kusama. Image reproduced for educational and informational purposes only. 

    Back to Yayoi Kusama Originals

     

    Executed in 1953, Old Flame is an early work on paper by Yayoi Kusama, created when the artist was 24 years old. Using pastel and ink, she explored the interplay between soft areas of colour and more defined linear elements, developing a visual language that balanced precision with expressive mark-making. This combination of media reflects her growing interest in material experimentation during the early 1950s.

     

    The work is signed and dated on the front, and again signed and titled on the reverse, demonstrating Kusama’s meticulous approach to documenting authorship throughout her formative years. This practice of detailed inscription not only authenticated her works but also provided insight into the disciplined methods underpinning her early artistic development.

  • “My art originates from hallucinations only I can see. I translate them into visual forms, so others might experience my inner world.”

    – Yayoi Kusama

    Measuring 15.6 × 22.9 cm, the sheet presents a compact composition built from layers of pastel and ink. The pastel contributes texture and atmosphere, while ink establishes definition and structure. The modest scale suggests it may have been part of Kusama’s experimental studies at the time, when she was developing a visual language that shifted between figuration and abstraction. The title Old Flame introduces a personal or emotional association, pointing to the psychological dimension of her early practice.