An infinity of Kusama’s iconic yellow dots unfolds against a deep black ground, enveloping the surfboard in a hypnotic field of pulsating rhythm. Polka dots of varying scale ripple across the surface, articulating the organic contours of her signature pumpkin form. The composition transforms the functional object into a sculptural canvas, at once playful, immersive, and visually commanding.
The pumpkin motif holds a deeply personal meaning for Kusama. In her autobiography, she recalls encountering a pumpkin in a seed harvesting field, describing how it seemed to speak to her, “indescribably appealing, and tender to the touch” (Infinity Net, 2013, p. 75). This formative moment became central to her artistic vision. For Kusama, the pumpkin is not merely a motif but a psychological anchor, embodying comfort, vitality, and the boundless repetition that defines her infinity works. A compelling historical resonance emerges when viewed alongside the work of Katsushika Hokusai (1760–1849). Though celebrated as a master painter, Hokusai was also an innovative designer. In his woodblock printed pattern book Shingata Komon Cho 新形小紋帳 (1824), created as a sourcebook for textile dyeing, he explored rhythmic, repeating motifs that animate the picture plane. One design in particular, Tatewaki kanzemizu 立涌観世水 (Standing Steam and Whirlpool Pattern) (Fig.1), exemplifies his fluid manipulation of organic forms.
Across nearly two centuries, both artists reveal a sensitivity to pattern as structure and energy. Hokusai’s undulating lines and Kusama’s proliferating dots share a visual logic in which repetition expands and ornament immerses. The surfboard thus transcends its function, entering a broader lineage of Japanese design. In Hokusai’s Great Wave off Kanagawa (Lot 23), the sea is rendered for viewing, while here it appears both as a pattern underfoot and as moving water. The rider passes between the two, as if quietly riding back into Hokusai’s great wave.