Nets 70

The Infinity of Repetition: Yayoi Kusama’s Nets 70 and the Art of Obsession

Few artists have transformed personal fixation into a universal visual language as completely as Yayoi Kusama. In Nets 70, her signature motif—the infinite net—expands across the canvas in a rhythmic, all-consuming pattern that dissolves the boundaries between figure and ground. This work belongs to Kusama’s Infinity Net series, which she began in the late 1950s as a means of confronting the hallucinatory visions that had plagued her since childhood. The nets are not mere decoration but a manifestation of her psychological landscape, where repetition becomes both prison and liberation.

The composition’s hypnotic precision belies its emotional intensity. Kusama has described her nets as “a way to escape from the fear of the infinite,” a paradox that defines her practice. Here, the delicate arcs of the net cells create a pulsating surface, their uniformity broken only by the subtle variations in line weight and the optical vibrations where curves intersect. As the Tate notes, these works “challenge the viewer’s perception of space,” inviting a meditative engagement that borders on the disorienting. The absence of a central focal point forces the eye to wander endlessly, mirroring the artist’s own struggle with compulsive repetition.

Kusama’s Radical Repetition: From Hallucination to Cultural Phenomenon

By the time Kusama developed her Infinity Net series, she had already rejected the rigid traditions of Japanese Nihonga painting and immersed herself in the New York avant-garde of the 1960s. Her work emerged alongside Minimalism but stood apart in its unapologetic emotional rawness. While artists like Agnes Martin explored grid-based abstraction as a form of spiritual transcendence, Kusama’s nets were visceral, rooted in her lifelong struggle with neurotic obsession. The repetition in Nets 70 is not the cool, mechanical iteration of a Donald Judd box but a living, breathing entity—one that threatens to engulf both artist and viewer.

Her move from Japan to the United States in 1957 marked a turning point. In New York, Kusama transformed her hallucinations into large-scale canvases that prefigured both Pop Art’s fascination with seriality and the immersive environments of later contemporary practice. As MoMA’s retrospective highlights, the Infinity Net paintings were radical in their time for collapsing the distinction between decorative pattern and high art. Nets 70 carries this legacy forward, its monochromatic palette focusing attention on the physical act of mark-making—a testament to Kusama’s relentless discipline.

The genius of Nets 70 lies in its contradiction: a work of obsessive control that simulates the loss of it. Every curve is deliberate, yet the cumulative effect is one of boundless expansion—like staring into a void that stares back.

The Precision of Compulsion: How Nets 70 Was Made

Composition: The Illusion of Infinity

Kusama’s method for the Infinity Net series involved meticulously plotting each arc with pencil before applying paint, ensuring the curves aligned perfectly across the canvas. In Nets 70, the cells are slightly irregular—some wider, some narrower—which creates a subtle optical flicker when viewed at a distance. This imperfection is critical: it prevents the pattern from becoming static, instead generating a sense of organic growth, as if the nets were spreading like mycelium.

Surface and Texture: The Physicality of Obsession

The original work’s textured surface results from Kusama’s use of thick, undiluted paint applied with small brushes, building up the arcs in multiple layers. This tactile quality is preserved in the framed print through high-resolution giclée reproduction on archival cotton rag, which mimics the matte finish of the original. The absence of gloss ensures that light diffuses softly across the net’s curves, enhancing the work’s meditative presence without the distraction of reflections.

Where to Hang Nets 70: A Guide to Living With Kusama’s Vision

The monochromatic palette and rhythmic pattern of Nets 70 make it remarkably versatile, but its impact depends on thoughtful placement. In a minimalist interior, the 30×40 cm print commands attention when hung at eye level on a wall painted in soft neutrals—think warm whites, pale grays, or even a muted sage green that complements the net’s organic curves. Avoid busy wallpapers or patterned textiles nearby; the work’s power lies in its ability to dominate the visual field, creating a focal point that draws the viewer into its hypnotic depths.

For maximal effect, consider positioning the print in a narrow hallway or at the end of a sightline, where its infinite pattern can visually extend the space. Under diffused lighting (avoid harsh spotlights), the net’s texture becomes more pronounced, reinforcing the tactile quality Kusama intended. Pair it with simple, low-profile furniture to maintain the meditative atmosphere—the goal is to let the artwork dictate the room’s energy, not compete with it.

More Works by Yayoi Kusama

Discover other iconic pieces from Kusama’s groundbreaking career, each available as a framed print with free global shipping.

Yayoi Kusama

Beyond The End Of The Century

View print

Yayoi Kusama

Still Life Of Candlestick

View print

Yayoi Kusama

Dandelions

View print

Yayoi Kusama

Sea

View print

You May Also Love

Abstract

Victor Pasmore

The Wave

View print

Abstract Expressionism

Philip Guston

Brushes

View print

Symbolism

Hilma Af Klint

Series Vii No 7D

View print