Yoshie Sakai

Lives and works in Gardena, CA, USA

Artist statement

I create characters that respond and negotiate contemporary social issues of cultural identity, gender roles, and familial and personal relationships. As a subtly transgressive undercover cultural agent, I expose the absurdities of manipulative social structures while humorously struggling and reveling in them as a participant. By staging my videos within intimate installations that become psychological and imaginative playhouses, I give form to our vulnerability and evoking, sometimes, nervous laughter. My installations transform found objects into imaginary interiors grounded in both tangible and fantastical domesticity. I use tropes including East Asian soap operas, Hollywood musicals, and the wellness industry to expose the anxieties of aspiration, model minority myths, and filial piety through the lens of the longstanding, yet under-represented Japanese American community in South Los Angeles. My work is about accessibility while nurturing human connection. I plan on continuing my focus on grandparents and the challenges within a family structure of varying generations in order to encompass a wider audience beyond my current work. My work critiques capitalism’s production of space and ways of being, while also drawing on popular forms of entertainment and media to engage diverse audiences, especially those historically devalued, ignored, and seen as burdens. People often ask me, “Why are you so happy all of the time?” and my response is “It’s better than crying.”...

Artwork