Yayoi Kusama with her installation Fireflies on the Water, 2002, at the Whitney Museum of American Art, New York Photo: © Yayoi Kusama, by Jason Schmidt 

The Japanese artist joins Damien Hirst as another high-profile departure from the dealer’s stable

The Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama is in the process of leaving Gagosian Gallery, The Art Newspaper understands. It is not know which gallery will represent her in the US, but discussions are believed to be underway (she is represented in London by Victoria Miro).

This is the third defection to rock the Gagosian empire in a fortnight. Damien Hirst is leaving the gallery after 17 years, the Financial Times reported yesterday. Last week, The Art Newspaper broke the news that Jeff Koons will have a show with the rival New York gallery David Zwirner in May, but the artist has not said whether he is leaving Gagosian, which currently has an exhibition of his works in its Los Angeles gallery (until 14 February 2013).

Kusama had her first solo show at Gagosian in New York in 2009. This year, she was the subject a retrospective at Tate Modern in London and the Whitney Museum in New York. Her collaboration with Louis Vuitton saw her trademark spots dotted over international branches of the fashion retailer. Gagosian currently has an exhibition of her work on show in its Beverly Hills branch (until 22 December).

Gagosian Gallery did not respond when reached for comment.