• Artist, 82, has lived in Tokyo mental home since 1973
• Biggest-ever UK exhibition on at Tate Modern until 5 June
• Holds record for a living female artist’s work—$5.1mn
• Offered Nixon sex to end Vietnam War. He declined.
Kusama’s life has taken her from rural Japan to the New York art scene and contemporary Tokyo, and throughout her career she has continuously innovated and re-invented her style. Well-known for her use of Pointillism (repeated use of dots), Kusama’s artworks encompass an astonishing variety of media, including painting, drawing, sculpture, film, performance and immersive installation.