b. 1980 Kanagawa, Japan; Lives and works in New York, U.S.

Aki Sasamoto is an installation and performance artist, whose works in various media, find material inspiration in response to the conditions of her site or surroundings. Her works often explore the relationship between the body and space, incorporating dynamic physical gestures and interactive elements that engage viewers on multiple sensory levels. Through her installations, Sasamoto challenges traditional notions of sculpture and invites audiences to actively participate in her artistic narratives. Sasamoto often performs inside her installations, which can take place in galleries, theatres, or outside of traditional art venues. Building these installations from everyday found objects, her performances actively engage viewers, occasionally transforming them into participants. This could be achieved through an engagement with food, issues of health, hygiene, or orderliness. A key aspect of Sasamoto's art is her keen observation of human behaviour and the complexities of interpersonal relationships. Her performances are characterized by a combination of humour, vulnerability, and profound introspection, as she examines themes of communication, power dynamics, and the absurdities of daily life through such fascinations. Sasamoto's work often incorporates everyday objects and materials, transforming them into poetic and metaphorical symbols that resonate with viewers on a deeply personal level.

Aki Sasamoto's recent solo exhibitions include Sounding Lines, Para Site, Hong Kong (2024); The Upstairs at Bortolami, New York (2024); Squirrel Ways, American Academy of Arts and Letters, NYC, New York (2023); Float Sink Float, Take Ninagawa, Tokyo (2022); Schematics, Bortolami Gallery, NYC, New York (2020); Past in a future tense, Bortolami Gallery, NYC, New York (2019); Clothes Line, White Rainbow, London (2018); Menu, Take Ninagawa, Tokyo (2017); Yield Point, The Kitchen, NYC, New York (2017); Delicate Cycle, SculptureCenter, Long Island City, New York (2016); No Choice, Harmony Murphy Gallery, Los Angeles (2015); and Talking in Circles in Talking, Soloway, Brooklyn, New York. Recent group exhibitions include Auditions, Verge Center for the Arts, Sacramento (2024); 15, Take Ninagawa, Tokyo (2023); On Point, Herzliya Museum of Contemporary Art, Tel Aviv (2023); Busan Biennale 2022: We, on the Rising Wave, Museum of Contemporary Art Busan, Busan (2022); Biennale Arte 2022: The Milk of Dreams, Arsenale, Venice (2022); Calder Now, Kunsthal Rotterdam (2021); Thank You Memory – 醸造から創造へ –, Hirosaki Museum of Contemporary Art, Aomori (2020); Travelers: Stepping into the Unknown, NMAO's 40th Anniversary Exhibition, The National Museum of Art, Osaka (2018); 11th Shanghai Biennale: Why Not Ask Again, Power Station of Art, Shanghai (2016); Pier 54, High Line Art, NYC, New York (2014); and Greater New York: 5 Year Review, MOMA PS1, NYC, New York (2010).

For further information about this artist please click here.

For Aki Sasamoto's entry on Asia Art Archive's website please click here.