Yayoi Kusama Exhibit Achieves Highest Attendance in Australian History

Yayoi Kusama has a knack for breaking records. In 2024, Kusama achieved $58.8 million in auction sales—the highest amount by a contemporary artist for the second consecutive year. Last December, the National Gallery of Victoria (NGV) in Melbourne hosted Australia’s largest retrospective exhibition of the iconic Japanese artist, featuring over 200 artworks spanning nine decades of her creative journey. By the time it concluded in April 2025, Yayoi Kusama had become the most visited exhibition in Australian history.

In total, NGV reported that 570,537 tickets were sold for the event, surpassing the museum’s earlier record of 462,262 tickets sold for the 2017 exhibition Van Gogh and the Seasons. Not accounted for in NGV’s figures were the country’s highly attended archaeological exhibitions, such as the Melbourne Museum’s Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs, which attracted nearly 797,000 attendees. Included in this remarkable number were famous personalities like Billie Eilish, Dua Lipa, Troye Sivan, and Finneas.

This accomplishment alone demonstrates that contemporary artists are starting to outshine some of the giants of art history (in this case, Van Gogh). It also highlights the cultural significance and visibility that Kusama has gained as one of the globe’s most celebrated artists, drawing interest from children, adults, seasoned art critics, and casual museum visitors alike. This widespread appeal can largely be attributed to Kusama’s aesthetic, which merges playful simplicity with vivid bursts of color. Her iconic polka dots, pumpkins, and “infinity rooms,” in particular, have propelled her to global and pop cultural stardom.

“I have noticed and overheard many individuals say they are not typically gallery-goers, but they participated because of the enthusiasm it was generating among people they knew,” Wayne Crothers, NGV’s senior curator of Asian art, shared with The Guardian.

This trend extended to children, teenagers, and young adults. The universal nature of Kusama’s visuals drew in families and younger audiences, whether it was due to their irresistible charm, reputation, trendiness, or “selfie-friendly” qualities. Particularly notable for Crothers was how younger visitors frequently brought friends and sometimes even returned to the exhibition with their parents.

“Historically, the reverse has been true—older generations often bring the younger ones who are less inclined to visit galleries,” Crothers clarifies. “We’ve observed the opposite phenomenon. Then, those who found the experience emotional and meaningful returned for repeat visits. Some people thought, ‘Oh, the grandkids will adore this,’ and came back with them.”

Even the most discerning visitors found Yayoi Kusama’s exhibition broad enough to retain its widespread attraction. The exhibition not only highlighted Kusama’s renowned works (consider the 10 infinity rooms) but also showcased surprising pieces, such as drawings the artist created at just 9 years old. It illustrated the multidisciplinary nature of Kusama’s practice, encompassing painting, collage, fashion, video, and large-scale installations.

“When the first Impressionist show debuted in 1870, art enthusiasts were elitist about it being commercial and aimed at the common public,” Crothers notes. “If people say, ‘I think it’s just vulgar populism’—why shouldn’t art be appreciated by everyone?”

Yayoi Kusama was exhibited at NGV from December 15, 2024, to April 21, 2025. For a retrospective look afterward, check out our own review of the exhibition.