Urban Groups

 

The Urban Groups artwork includes many small things living in the world's biggest city, New York, in obscurity. These innumerable small things are gathering in cluster to survive the urban area.

 

The imaginary world Hanae creates on canvas is inspired by and a reflection of her time in NY. She has come to be influenced by its diversity and mixture of people. She strives to capture and express this in her work at both a macro and micro level. Metaphorically relating the individuality of small and unnoticed elements such as people, animals, bugs, living cells, bacteria, etc. into something larger and more powerful as when things are grouped together. Through the formal composition of her work, she explores such the nameless but energetic "chemical reactions of lives in NY". 

 

Sasaoka was born and grew up in Japan. Before pursuing a career in art she earned her BA of International Business in Tokyo Japan. She worked for eight years in the business field. Since changing her career path she has exhibited her work nationally and internationally throughout Tokyo, the UK and New York. Her work is included in many private collections.

 

Sasaoka was recently chosen as an artist for New York Foundation for the Arts, Immigrant Artists Outreach Initiative Program.