A major retrospective of renowned Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama has shattered attendance records to become the most-visited exhibition in Australian history. The National Gallery of Victoria (NGV) in Melbourne reported that 570,537 tickets were sold for the comprehensive show, which ran from December 15, 2024, to April 21, 2025.

The exhibition surpassed the museum's previous record of 462,262 tickets sold for the 2017 "Van Gogh and the Seasons" exhibition. However, the NGV's calculations did not include archaeological exhibitions such as the Melbourne Museum's "Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs," which attracted nearly 797,000 visitors.

Kusama's record-breaking success reflects her continued dominance in the contemporary art market. In 2024, the 96-year-old artist achieved $58.8 million in auction sales, marking the highest total by a contemporary artist for the second consecutive year. The Melbourne retrospective showcased more than 200 artworks spanning nine decades of her creative output.

The exhibition attracted a diverse audience, including high-profile celebrities such as Billie Eilish, Dua Lipa, Troye Sivan, and Finneas. Wayne Crothers, NGV's senior curator of Asian art, noted an unusual demographic shift in museum attendance. "I have observed and overheard a lot of people say they are not usually gallery visitors, but they came because of the interest it was inspiring in people they knew," Crothers told The Guardian.

Particularly striking was the exhibition's appeal to younger generations. Crothers observed that young visitors often brought friends and even returned with their parents in tow. "Traditionally it has worked the other way—the older generations often bring in the young people who are less likely to regularly go to galleries," he explained. "We've seen the opposite here. Then the people who found it emotional and special have come back for second visits."

Kusama's broad appeal can be attributed to her distinctive aesthetic, which combines playful simplicity with vibrant explosions of color. Her signature polka dots, pumpkin sculptures, and infinity rooms have catapulted her to international recognition and pop culture status. The Instagram-friendly nature of her immersive installations has made her work particularly attractive to social media-savvy audiences.

The Melbourne exhibition was comprehensive in scope, featuring ten of Kusama's famous infinity rooms alongside unexpected pieces such as drawings the artist created at just nine years old. The show demonstrated the multidisciplinary nature of Kusama's practice, encompassing painting, collage, fashion, video, and monumental installations.

Crothers defended the exhibition's popular appeal against potential critics who might dismiss it as commercialized art. "When the first impressionist show opened in 1870, art buffs were snobbish about it being commercial and for the common masses," he explained. "If people say, 'I think it's just crass populism'—why shouldn't art be enjoyed by the general masses?"

The success of the Kusama retrospective demonstrates that contemporary artists are beginning to surpass some of art history's most celebrated figures in terms of public appeal. In this case, Kusama's attendance figures exceeded even those of Vincent van Gogh, traditionally one of the most popular artists among museum-goers.

The exhibition's record-breaking performance highlights Kusama's unique position in the contemporary art world, where she has successfully bridged the gap between high art and popular culture. Her ability to attract both seasoned art critics and casual museum visitors underscores the universal appeal of her vibrant, immersive artistic vision that continues to captivate audiences across generations and cultural boundaries.