About Harumo Sato
Harumo Sato is a Japanese visual artist residing in the San Francisco Bay Area, California. With a diverse international background, having lived in Japan, France, Morocco, Tunisia, Italy, and Spain, she earned her BA from the University at Buffalo, New York, in 2015.
Her passion for sustainability and the harmonious relationship between humanity and nature extends from her studio practice to her work in public art. Sato's paintings and hand-pulled screen prints can be found in both public and private collections, and her art has been featured in numerous solo and group exhibitions across California, New York, Oregon, and New Mexico. In 2021, she was honored as a nominee for the SECA Art Award.
Sato has been commissioned for public art projects by renowned organizations such as Google, Meta, MidPen Housing, and the University at Buffalo, among others. She is also a recipient of the Cubberley Artists Studio program in Palo Alto, California.
Harumo Sato on Her Moya Moya Series
In reflecting on the course of our socioeconomic development, I've observed a disquieting parallel between the way we treat nature and our attitudes toward women's bodies. Our pursuit of control, driven by a desire for maximum physical and mental comfort, and the pursuit of instant wealth and beauty, has inflicted profound wounds not only on our society but also on our planet and the very sustenance we depend upon. This inclination toward dominance appears to be rooted even in mythological narratives. Within Japanese mythology, there exists a goddess known as Ogetsu-hime, a deity responsible for the miraculous production of sustenance from her various bodily orifices—nose, mouth, vagina, and others. Tragically, her tale takes a dark turn when she is brutally slain by an enraged god who perceives her actions as disrespectful. Yet, from her mortal remains sprout grain seeds, destined to nourish the people of Japan. I have embarked on a transformative journey with Ogetsu-hime's narrative, reimagining her story to address pressing contemporary issues: our voracious consumption of energy and food. In my artistic exploration, I employ Japanese iconography, which may, at first glance, appear whimsical or merely "kawaii" to outsiders. However, I invite viewers to engage with these representations before casting judgment on the contentious subjects that lie beneath. This series delves into the intricate webs of modern challenges, ranging from debates over the use of nuclear energy to the pervasive use of potent pesticides. It exposes the hidden facets of social inequality that surface in the context of international food and energy exchanges.
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