Yayoi Kusama brought approximately 2,000 works on paper with her when she left Japan in 1957, intending to sell them to support herself.
Notes on verification
Confirmed by multiple independent sources including Smithsonian, ARTnews, Hyperallergic, and Princeton University Art Museum, with consistent reporting of the ~2,000 works figure and financial motive, despite minor discrepancies in exact arrival year. [tier=silver indep_score=0.833 clusters=3 claim_tier=notable]
Sources
- The Lost Kusamas (seed:culture_and_philosophy)
- https://www.artnews.com/feature/yayoi-kusama-most-famous-works-1202687572/ (corroboration)
- https://hyperallergic.com/631189/yayoi-kusama-gifted-works-doctor-bonhams/ (corroboration)
- https://artmuseum.princeton.edu/art/stories-perspectives/yayoi-kusama-artist (corroboration)