Obituary | smithsonianmag.comhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/rss/tag/obituary/RSS feed for ObituaryenThu, 27 Aug 2026 15:59:17 +0000Yayoi Kusama Created Fantastical 'Infinity Mirror Rooms' That Became the Art World's Most Famous Backdrops. Her Work Spanned Counterculture to the Cosmoshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/yayoi-kusama-created-fantastical-infinity-mirror-rooms-that-became-the-most-famous-backdrops-of-the-art-world-her-work-spanned-from-counterculture-to-cosmos-180989409/The Japanese artist, who died on August 14 at 97, sought solace from hallucinations in her art, developing a visual language of polka dots, pumpkins and mirrors that entranced the worldThu, 27 Aug 2026 15:59:17 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/yayoi-kusama-created-fantastical-infinity-mirror-rooms-that-became-the-most-famous-backdrops-of-the-art-world-her-work-spanned-from-counterculture-to-cosmos-180989409/Dolly Parton Was One of the Biggest Stars in the History of Country Music. She Wanted to Be Remembered as a Songwriterhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/dolly-parton-was-one-of-the-biggest-stars-in-the-history-of-country-music-she-wanted-to-be-remembered-as-a-songwriter-180989405/After growing up in poverty, she became famous for her legendary songs, big heart and larger-than-life style. But the iconic musician insisted that "the songs lead to everything else"Wed, 26 Aug 2026 17:58:35 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/dolly-parton-was-one-of-the-biggest-stars-in-the-history-of-country-music-she-wanted-to-be-remembered-as-a-songwriter-180989405/This Man Turned Human Corpses Into Popular Museum Displays. Now, the Creator of These Controversial ‘Body Worlds’ Has Donated His Own Body to Sciencehttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-man-turned-human-corpses-into-popular-museum-displays-now-the-creator-of-these-controversial-body-worlds-has-donated-his-own-body-to-science-180989242/Gunther von Hagens, who invented plastination, a method of preserving bodies by replacing their natural fluids with polymers, recently died at age 81Fri, 31 Jul 2026 19:56:10 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-man-turned-human-corpses-into-popular-museum-displays-now-the-creator-of-these-controversial-body-worlds-has-donated-his-own-body-to-science-180989242/