♥ dot to dot.

source: google images

when it comes to clothing, i have never been a big fan of polka dots.

in fact, as a young girl i once made an off color remark to my nana

that i hated polka dots, even though she happened to be

sitting next to me in her favorite polka dot blouse. oops!

and while now i believe that i could have found a more tactful way to

express my feelings about spots, the fact remains that in fashion,

polka dots usually end up looking: cheesy, childish and cheap.

(the three c's to avoid!)

but when it comes to art, that's a whole different "ball" game,

which is why i am totally smitten with the work of the "princess of polka dots,"

artist, sculptor, performance artist, novelist, poetess:

yayoi kusama.

according to the eighty year old artist who has created

over 50,000 pieces of polka dotted art;

"a polka dot has the form of the sun,

which is a symbol of the energy of the whole world,

and our living life and also the form of the moon, which is calm.

round, soft, colorful, senseless and unknowing.

polka dots become movement. polka dots are a way to infinity."

suffering with mental illness since the age of 10, kusama says that the polka dots

and line/mesh patterned "infinity nets" that she covers everything with are

an artistic expression of her childhood hallucinations.

claiming that if it were not for art, she would have killed herself a long time ago,

yayoi moved from japan to new york at the age of 27 and became one of

the foremost leaders in the avante garde movement,

creating polka dot covered masterpieces and one of a kind fashions,

staging open air "happenings" that included vietnam war protests

and nude painting exhibitions. she now lives voluntarily in a mental hospital in japan

where she still makes art and will continue to do so until her energy wanes,

which doesn't seem to be any time soon!

repetitious, obsessive compulsive and irreverent,

kusama's artwork never ceases to amaze,

to push viewers to their visual limits and beyond,

to skirt the fine line between oblivion and obliteration

and make even those who hate polka dots

believe and bow down

to their beauty.

watch this short video here and be amazed: