TOKYO — Yayoi Kusama, the avant-garde Japanese master who captivated the global art world with her hypnotic polka dots and immersive 'Infinity Mirror Rooms,' has died at the age of 97.

Over a trailblazing career spanning seven decades, Kusama transformed personal struggles into mesmerizing contemporary masterpieces, drawing record-breaking crowds to international galleries.

Tributes poured in from around the globe today, celebrating a fearless cultural icon whose boundary-pushing vision forever reshaped modern artistic expression.