Artist Statement/ Biography

Sao Tanaka explores the link between landscape and identity. She portrays scenes of genesis before the existence of life, featuring inorganic materials such as light, water, rock, and air. The landscapes she creates are inspired by common scenes from various myths illustrating the world's origin and creation stories, which function to legitimize the link between people's identity and a region. Tanaka is conscious of the cultural and historical representation inherent in the painting materials themselves. She employs traditional Japanese and East Asian painting materials and techniques of ink wash, evoking Asian landscape painting. She juxtaposes these scenes with elements of different textures and contexts by using acrylic and oil paints.

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Sao Tanaka (b. Tokyo Japan) is currently based New York City. She hold a BFA in Japanese painting from Tama Art University, an MA in sociology and cultural anthropology from Hitotsubashi University, and studied at the School of Visual Arts. Her works have been internationally exhibited including at Mizuma & Kips Gallery in New York, Bunkamura Gallery in Tokyo , Hiroshima City Museum of Contemporary Art, in Hiroshima. Tanaka has received the Fellowship of the Pola Art Foundation Overseas Study Programme, the Hiraizumi Curator Jury Prize, SHIBUYA ART AWARDS 2019, Winning Selection Hiroshima City Museum of Contemporary Art "Open Call for Art Project Ideas 2018, and the Grand Prize at the 5th 21st Century Asia Design Competition from Kyoto University of Art.
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