Sayako Hiroi

Challenging Narratives Through Art, Identity, and Kintsugi

For Sayako Hiroi, art is not just a visual practice—it is a tool for social critique, transformation, and self-empowerment. Rooted in themes of feminism, anti-Orientalism, and cultural identity, her work challenges the rigid binaries imposed by society, breaking apart dominant narratives while honoring tradition through kintsugi-inspired aesthetics.

"My paintings and kintsugi practice explore the tension between preservation and reconstruction—honoring tradition while critically examining how cultural narratives evolve and intersect."

A Journey from Philosophy to Fine Arts

Though Hiroi was always drawn to creative expression, she did not grow up in a traditionally artistic environment. Her artistic journey began with philosophy and ethics, which she studied in university as a means of understanding societal structures.

However, her passion for visual storytelling led her to explore art as a way to express complex emotions and challenge ingrained social narratives. The turning point came when she began critically examining gender roles and cultural identity, realizing that art could serve as a powerful medium for questioning and reshaping perspectives.

This realization prompted her to leave her corporate career and move to the U.S. to pursue an MFA in Fine Arts, where she merged her academic foundation in philosophy and sociology with her creative practice.

Breaking Stereotypes & Reclaiming Identity

Much of Hiroi’s work directly confronts the fetishization and objectification of Asian women in Western media. Historically, narratives such as Madame Butterfly and Memoirs of a Geisha have perpetuated harmful stereotypes, portraying Japanese women as passive, submissive, and exoticized figures meant for male desire.

Even today, anime and manga representations continue to reinforce these expectations, distorting public perception and contributing to systemic racism and sexism. Hiroi’s paintings deconstruct and reinterpret traditional imagery, offering a powerful resistance to these narratives.

"My fragmented and abstracted figures symbolize the internalized struggle of resisting these imposed identities while navigating a complex cultural landscape."

By integrating elements of Ukiyo-e and traditional Japanese aesthetics, Hiroi challenges Western frameworks while reshaping cultural narratives on her own terms. Her expressive brushstrokes and layered compositions convey emotions of frustration, resilience, and the ongoing fight for agency.

Kintsugi as a Metaphor for Resistance

Hiroi’s engagement with kintsugi—the traditional Japanese practice of repairing broken ceramics with gold—extends beyond a literal craft. She uses it as a conceptual framework to explore themes of resilience, reconstruction, and self-determination.

"By repairing broken objects with gold, kintsugi embraces flaws and reconstructs them into something even stronger. This mirrors my approach to art—reclaiming broken narratives and offering new ways to perceive identity and power."

Through this practice, Hiroi challenges the Western gaze, subverting its historical objectification of Asian women by transforming fragments into a new and empowered whole.

Interdisciplinary Exploration: Performance Drawing & The Rhizome

Hiroi’s artistic exploration extends beyond painting. Her performance drawing practice investigates the relationship between body, movement, space, and time, breaking away from conventional structures.

This practice is inspired by Deleuze and Guattari’s concept of the Rhizome—a philosophical model that rejects hierarchical order in favor of interconnected, non-linear structures. In performance drawing, Hiroi engages with site-specific movement, dismantling social constructs dictated by power, wealth, whiteness, and gendered hierarchies.

"Reality is not static but ever-changing, shaped by interactions with our environment. Through movement, I seek to reveal the interconnected networks that surround us, creating immersive, visceral experiences."

Her studio becomes a collaborative space, integrating music, dance, and audience interaction to foster dialogue between diverse artistic voices.