“Through performance, video, and installation imbued with humor, Yoshie Sakai confronts difficult realities of aging in a society lacking systematic support for elders and their caretakers.” – juror Aurora Tang, Independent Curator / Program Officer, PST ART

“Yoshie Sakai is an interdisciplinary artist whose immersive and playful installations explore aging as a site of connection. Through humor, interactivity, and narrative play, she engages viewers in conversations that emerge from her perspective as the child of a Japanese immigrant family in Los Angeles. Her work transforms personal histories into broader reflections on community, identity, and the complexities of growing older.” – juror Idurre Alonso, Head of Modern and Contemporary Collections, Getty Research Institute

Yoshie Sakai is an interdisciplinary artist who infuses humor and tragedy to platform historically overlooked perspectives on immigrant family dynamics and cultural identity. Sakai takes moments from her life as a Japanese American artist in South Bay Los Angeles to create immersive character-driven narratives that address difficult emotions and emphasize interconnectivity.

Sakai has always been interested in asking viewers to reconsider their perspectives. Growing up with conservative immigrant parents, she learned to harness humor and entertainment to filter social issues and encourage progressive change. She still does this with her art practice. She uses curiosity, humor, and compassion to subvert expectations and expand accessibility.