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Pumpkin, 1981Acrylic on canvas, 53 × 45.5 cm (20 7⁄8 × 17 7⁄8 in.)© Yayoi Kusama. Image reproduced for educational and informational purposes only.
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“I love pumpkins because of their humorous form, warm feeling, and a human-like quality.”
– Yayoi Kusama
This work stands as part of the trajectory that elevated pumpkins from a personal motif to a defining symbol of Kusama’s global legacy. Smaller canvases like this 1981 example mark the point where the subject shifted from intimate explorations of memory and form into a recurring icon across her practice. Over time, the pumpkin would grow beyond the canvas into large-scale sculptures, mirrored installations, and immersive environments, becoming a signature image recognised worldwide. These works embody both Kusama’s obsessive vision and her ability to transform humble objects into universal symbols of resilience, humour, and human connection.