Snail, completed in 1989, is a delightful creature motif work by Yayoi Kusama. A stylised snail with a spiralled shell occupies the central composition. The shell and soft body are decorated with orderly polka dots, while the surrounding space is filled with her characteristic interwoven infinity-net linework. Naturalistic anatomy, shadows and sculptural depth are fully discarded. The composition becomes a hypnotic graphic field built from repeating circular and linear patterns, embodying Kusama’s enduring fascination with infinite repetition.
Flat Graphic Screenprint Qualities
This screenprint uses solid, flat colour blocks with sharp, clean edges, without soft gradients or blended tonal shifts. The screenprinting technique delivers crisp, consistent dots and woven net lines. The spiral form of the snail shell naturally echoes the circular rhythm of the polka dots, creating a cohesive, meditative visual flow. It carries the playful, lighthearted charm of Kusama’s nature-themed graphic prints from this period.
Hand-Painted Interpretation Focus
This hand-painted interpretation is not one of the original limited screenprints from the edition of 100. Our painters faithfully recreate the snail silhouette, uniform dot sizing and continuous infinity-net lines. We preserve the flat printed aesthetic of screenprinting and avoid adding painterly shadows, highlights or blurred brush transitions that would break the original graphic style. Minor subtle variations in dot placement naturally appear in hand-painted work and distinguish it from mechanical printed copies.
Display Suggestions
This playful graphic artwork works beautifully for Japandi, contemporary, pop-art and gallery-grid interiors. Off-white, cream or light grey neutral walls allow the patterned snail motif to stand out without visual competition. Soft, even ambient lighting is recommended; harsh directional spotlights may create glare and obscure the fine details of the interlaced net patterns. Confirm your wall measurements before selecting your final display size. (Word count: 377)
Key Details
- Hand-painted reproduction, not the original limited-edition artwork
- Artist: Yayoi Kusama
- Artwork: Snail
- Year: 1989
- Original medium: Screen-print
- Original dimensions: 45.4 × 52.8 cm (17 9/10 × 20 4/5 in)
- Original edition: Edition of 100










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