Rest in Peace, Yui Sakamoto. A Prolific Visionary Passes Away
"I’m a painter, I don’t consider myself an artist. I just draw the pictures I want to draw, without any concept or context in mind." The creative soul known as Yui Sakamoto has passed away.
It is with a profound feeling of sadness that I relay the news that the amazingly talented Yui Sakamoto has passed away. His family posted the news on social media Wednesday night, stating that the painting prodigy died due to complications from a recent asthma-induced cardiac arrest.
In a post on Instagram, Yui’s wife, fellow creative Ena Sakamoto, announced the tragic news:
At 1:30 PM on August 20th, Mexico time, Yui quietly passed away. After fighting valiantly in the hospital for 20 days, Yui took his final breath with a peaceful expression.
We have received so many donations and warm messages from everyone, and we are deeply grateful from the bottom of our hearts. Thank you so much.
The donations from all of you will be carefully used to cover a portion of Yui’s medical expenses.
Through Yui, we have once again realized how much we are supported by everyone around us. We sincerely thank you for your kindness and warmth.
A captivating painting of Sakamoto's which was part of his August, 2023 showcase "My Soul: Mexican Surrealism with a Japanese Heart" at Bender Gallery in Asheville, NC
Remembering Yui Sakamoto: A Visionary Who Bridged Two Worlds
When I first came across Yui’s work, I was immediately taken with the sheer amount of effort evident in his vivid, painstaking intricacy and attention to detail.
More than that, his paintings stirred something in me—his extraordinary ability to weave together the threads of Japanese and Mexican surrealism created a distinct visual language that spoke to me.
As the product of an oddly specific subsection of people (my Chicano grandfather was a career military man, stationed in Japan in the 50’s, and subsequently, I had an Obaasan who was from Okinawa), it’s somewhat difficult to describe the feelings that Yui Sakamoto’s paintings first evoked, when my Japanese-Mexican-American eyes came across them.
The honesty and authenticity of the work invited me into a world where parts of both of my cultural identities were represented, a seemingly esoteric realm where imagination and reality converged in breathtaking harmony.
Journey from Japan to Mexico: A Confluence of Cultures
Yui was born in Aichi, Japan, in July 1981, Yui Sakamoto. He grew up in the culturally rich city of Nagasaki. After completing high school, he spent two formative years in Perugia, Italy, immersing himself in the world of art.
In 2003, Sakamoto relocated to Monterrey, Mexico, where he pursued his passion further, earning a Carrera de Arte in 2008 from the University of Monterrey.
Yui ultimately found his home in an ex-pat Japanese community in the enchanting city of San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato, in Mexico, whose surreal landscapes served as a backdrop befitting Sakamoto’s creative mind.
This new home was a wellspring of inspiration for Yui, who seemingly found the connection between this rich and diverse land, and that of his homeland. The fusion of these two distinct cultures became the hallmark of his work, creating a unique blend that was both visually stunning and emotionally resonant.
Sakamoto’s paintings are a masterful amalgam of the meticulous techniques of Japanese artfroms—from Heian-era to Japonisme—and the bold, dreamlike elements of Mexican surrealism. His paintings often depict fantastical landscapes where koi fish swim alongside jaguars, dragons soar above desert plains, and skulls—symbolic of both Mexican culture and Japanese mythology—emerge from the shadows.
These motifs, recurring throughout his work, serve as a testament to his heritage and citizenship of this planet, as well as his profound understanding of the importance of symbolism in life.
"Self Portrait" Yui Sakamoto
“My Soul: Mexican Surrealism with a Japanese Heart”
One of Yui Sakamoto’s most celebrated exhibitions, “My Soul: Mexican Surrealism with a Japanese Heart,” encapsulates the essence of his artistic vision. This groundbreaking exhibition was not merely a display of his work but a narrative journey through the merging of two cultural identities.
The pieces showcased in this collection were more than just visual spectacles; they were intricate stories that explored themes of love, death, and the human condition, all carefully curated and represented in the form of visual poetry.
Sakamoto’s paintings are known for their vivid colors and intricate details, inviting viewers into a world where reality and imagination blur. Each brushstroke is imbued with meaning, each color carefully chosen to evoke a specific emotion or memory.
The exhibition was a testament to Sakamoto’s genius—his ability to take the surrealist traditions of Mexico and blend them seamlessly with the disciplined precision of Japanese art, creating something entirely new and breathtakingly beautiful.
The Legacy of Yui Sakamoto
Yui Sakamoto’s paintings are more than just a reflection of his own cultural heritage; they are a celebration of a rare kind of beauty that emerges when different worlds collide. His work reminds us that art has the power to transcend boundaries, to bring together seemingly disparate elements into a cohesive whole that speaks to the universality of the human experience.
Yui’s paintings will continue to inspire and captivate future generations, offering a glimpse into the world through his brilliant, unique perspective.
In remembering Yui Sakamoto, we honor not only a man but also a visionary who reminded us that the world is a place of infinite possibilities; a place where the limits of our reality are limited only, as Schopenhauer once observed, by the “boundaries of” our “own perception."
Rest in peace, Yui Sakamoto.
Tsuya for Japanese Painting Prodigy Yui Sakamoto, who passed away Tuesday in Mexico. Photo: Instagram