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Like Alice in Wonderland fallen down the rabbit hole, artist Kanako Sasaki finds herself alone in beautiful spaces. The Japanese artist is often the subject in her photo exhibit “Wanderlust,” showing through October 30 at Dina Mitrani Gallery. It’s easy to imagine her in pursuit of a talking white rabbit or misled by a smiling cat, but Sasaki says her surreal world of sand dunes and lonely forests stems from an imagination built on Japanese novels, ukiyo-e paintings, and her childhood fears of death. In one image, a young woman appears corpse-like — face-down and legs sprawled in a grassy meadow. In another, she climbs out of the frame and is captured headless. The highly saturated photos express both serenity and discomfort, as if Sasaki is asking, “Did I finally escape, or am I infinitely lost?
We spoke to Sasaki, who was born in Sendai, Japan and studied photography at the School of Visual Arts, New York and the Royal College of Art in London. She told us about the inspiration behind her eerie photos, how she makes her photos look like traditional woodblock prints, and the impossibility of death in the mind of someone living.
New Times: The gallery press release mentioned you were inspired by
Japanese novels. How did novels inspire you? Which authors in
particular?
Kanako Sasaki: I like reading books in general. When I started this
project, I was into classical love story novels, by authors such as
Soseki Natsume and Kyoka Izumi. I wanted to contain the feelings of
loneliness, isolation, happy, sad, uncomfortable, dreamy, and wish, in a
naïve way. Therefore, the girl might be swinging from the tree, trying
to float. The girl had to lie down to contemplate. It’s almost the only
way she can associate herself to the nature that will save her life.
I like Soseki Natume’s Kusamakura. I remembered how he described the
view from the hill was so calm and philosophical. I guess my work is
influenced by such tone of the scenes, poetic, yet there is an
existential element such as death will be ahead of us. I used to cry all
the time, when I first realized the idea of dying like my parents will
no long there. In a way, I simulate death by laying down so that I won’t
be afraid when I face in real one. I believe such naïveté and innocence
are very important for human beings to maintain even when we grow
older.
Can you describe what Ukiyo-e paintings are? How did they influence “Wanderlust”?
Ukiyo-e painting is a Japanese traditional
woodblock painting. I like the composition and gestures of the figures. I
researched them well, especially the women’s series. Normally, these
paintings don’t follow Western three-point perspective. They’re rather
flat – like the figures are floating. I tried to apply this technical
element to my photographs by tilting the camera or using extreme angle
to frame my images. Also, to use vivid color combination is very
important for me. I coordinated the dress and the landscape. Ukiyo-e also
looks very fashionable and colorful.
Dina Mitrani is located at 2620 NW Second Avenue in Miami. Admission is free, and the gallery is open 1 to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Friday. Call 786-486-7248 or visit dinamitranigallery.com.
