“Three Wise Girls: See No Evil, Speak No Evil, Hear No Evil”
Sakamoto’s work is meant to be off-putting or uncomfortable to look at, but we look anyway. In a nonsexual way, Sakamoto builds a sort of sadomasochism between subject and viewer. As they endure misery, the viewer receives the image and can find pleasure in the aesthetic of the piece. Adding to this effect is the technique that is used. They are finely rendered, soft and youthful, with expressions that are cute and Manga-like. By making light of morbid subject matter, his imagery is almost comical. However, Sakamoto offers neither antipathy nor sympathy. Like his painting “Three Wise Girls: See No Evil, Speak No Evil, Hear No Evil,” he seems to turn a blind eye to impropriety.
Cr.Tomoyoshi Sakamoto