Avant-garde artist Yayoi Kusama, Japan's "polka dot queen," dies at 97

Yayoi Kusama, a Japanese avant-garde artist globally acclaimed for her polka dot imagery, pumpkin sculptures and immersive mirror-based installations, died of multiple organ failure at a Tokyo hospital on Aug. 14, a foundation set up to support her said Thursday. She was 97.

With a career that spanned more than 60 years, Kusama was a trailblazer in contemporary art. She was also one of the most popular and commercially successful artists, with her shows drawing big crowds around the world. Her paintings sold at auction for millions of dollars apiece.