In her practice, Osaka-born artist Sasaoka Yuriko explores the ambiguous relationship between humans and the natural world through gesamtkunstwerk installations that reveal surrealist, immersive landscapes. Drawing inspiration from animism, masquerade, theater, puppetry, and Osaka’s comedy traditions, her work delves into fundamental questions around agency, mortality, and the narratives we tell ourselves.

For “Animale,” Sasaoka investigated the historical roles of animals in society—from fables and pets to their use in political diplomacy and labor. Her research began with the story of Wojtek, a Syrian brown bear who became a symbol of resilience during World War II. Discovered as an orphaned cub, Wojtek was sold to Polish soldiers and integrated into their military operations, where he reportedly carried ammunition and adopted human habits like smoking and drinking coffee. After the war, he was gifted to Edinburgh Zoo, where a memorial still stands in his honor. Building on Wojtek’s life story and his mirroring of human behavior, Sasaoka expanded her research to other cases of working animals through residencies and projects in Berlin, Edinburgh, and Japan.

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Sasaoka Yuriko Working Bear – Yellow 2024. Three-channel video with color and sound, stuffed toy, used clothes, sequins, beads, thread 35.6 x 33 x 21.6 cm. Courtesy the artist and PHD Group, Hong Kong. Photo by Felix SC Wong.