Yayoi Kusama (b. 1929). Pumpkin (#4), 1982. Lithograph in colors with collage on B.F.K. Rives paper. 25-3/4 x 20-1/8 inc...

Description

Yayoi Kusama (b. 1929)
Pumpkin (#4), 1982
Lithograph in colors with collage on B.F.K. Rives paper
25-3/4 x 20-1/8 inches (65.5 x 51 cm) (sheet)
Ed. 53/75 (aside from one artist's proof and one printer's proof)
Signed, editioned, titled, and dated in pencil along lower edge
Published by Box Gallery, Nagoya, Japan
Printed by Shimo-oka Yoshiaki

LITERATURE:
Kusama, 4.

For Kusama, the pumpkin is more than a botanical object, it is a self-portrait of sorts, a symbol of comfort, resilience, and whimsical eccentricity. She has described pumpkins as "humble and amusing," and her lifelong attachment to them stems from childhood memories in rural Japan. As a child, she was surrounded by nature and often saw pumpkins growing in the fields; pumpkins gave her a sense of comfort and familiarity.

Pumpkin #4 is a bold example of the artist's iconic use of repetition, form, and personal symbolism. Both the pumpkin and the background are filled with rhythmic dot patterns, creating a hypnotic visual experience that blurs the lines between object and space. The obsessive dotting reflects Kusama's struggle with obsessive-compulsive disorder and hallucinations, which have influenced her art since her youth. The repetition suggests both control and surrender, as she imposes a sense of order while allowing herself to be consumed by the process.

Over time, the pumpkin has become a kind of anchor for Kusama, a stable, calming object she can return to amid psychological turmoil. It has become her signature motif, as recognizable as her dots or mirrored rooms. It's a symbol that fuses her identity as a woman, and what makes this lithograph is vibrant and dynamic.




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