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Flower, 1953
Gouache, acrylic and pastel on paper, 35.8 × 32.3 cm (14 1/8 × 12¾ in.)
© Yayoi Kusama. Image reproduced for educational and informational purposes only. -
“Polka dots and flowers are the symbols of the love I have for the earth.”
– Yayoi Kusama
The sheet, measuring 35.8 × 32.3 cm, is built up through overlapping applications of pastel, gouache, and acrylic. Pastel gives the composition a soft, textured quality, while gouache and acrylic provide sharper lines and areas of strong colour. The result is a stylised rendering of a flower that reduces the form to essentials rather than detailed description. Signed, titled, and dated on the reverse, the work reflects Kusama’s focus on recording her authorship even in these early years.