Yayoi Kusama // NO O.A, 1960

  • Yayoi Kusama, No. O.A., 1960. Oil on canvas, 60.9 × 72 cm. Infinity Net painting with repeated loops across the surface.
    No. O.A., 1960
    Oil on canvas, 60.9 × 72 cm (24 × 28 3/8 in.)
    © Yayoi Kusama. Image reproduced for educational and informational purposes only.
     
    Painted in 1960, No. O.A. is an oil on canvas measuring 60.9 × 72 cm. Created during Kusama’s early years in New York, the work reflects her exploration of the Infinity Net style that became central to her practice. The repetitive brushstrokes, extending across the surface, demonstrate her interest in building continuous patterns that suggest infinity.

  • "Every time I have had a problem, I have confronted it with the ax of art.”

     
     — Yayoi Kusama
    In No. O.A., the surface becomes both meditative and overwhelming. The delicate repetition of marks dissolves any fixed focal point, drawing the viewer into a vast and unending field. This approach reflects Kusama’s desire to obliterate the self through art, while also connecting to her psychological experiences of hallucination and infinity. As one of her early New York works, the painting highlights the originality of her vision at a time when the American art scene was dominated by Abstract Expressionism.