Aki Sasamoto is Feeling Stretched | Art21 "New York Close Up"

How far can an artist bend without breaking?
Installation and performance artist Aki Sasamoto unwinds the logic of her latest work, "Yield Point" (2017), finding unexpected connections between the tension of stretched materials and the stresses we experience in everyday life. "Lately, I notice that I’m [feeling] super stretched and tired-trying to do a day job and trying to do art-so I was interested in how much one can push yourself," says the artist. "That’s why I went to thinking about elasticity and testing that limit."
Mirroring the artist’s own stream of conscious logic and deadpan humor, the film follows Sasamoto as she uses a mechanical stress testing machine at Rutgers University, tours a dumpster warehouse in Queens, and performs in Chelsea’s renowned arts space, The Kitchen. During the performance, Sasamoto moves freely within an installation comprised of plastic trash bags, immersive videos, stretched bands, and rolling dumpsters with trampolines inside.
Like the materials she pulls apart, Sasamoto resists bending to expectations and refuses an easy explanation of her subjects-instead trusting the creative process to yield its own truths. "Whenever I try to say this piece is about this or that, that's when it starts to feel like I’m a liar," she says. "I almost feel like I’m performing to find out answers for my own questions."
Aki Sasamoto (b. 1980, Kanagawa, Japan) lives and works in New York. Learn more about the artist at: art21.org/arti...
CREDITS | "New York Close Up" Series Producer: Nick Ravich. Producer: RAVA Films. Director: Rafael Salazar & Ava Wiland. Cinematography & Editing: Rafael Salazar. Sound: Ava Wiland. Design & Graphics: Anita Hei-Man Yu, Open, & Uros Perisic. Artwork Courtesy: Aki Sasamoto. Music: Datapanik, deef, & Chris Zabriskie. Thanks: Cooper Tank LLC, Tim Griffin, Chris Landshof, Karina Larroca, Michael Littwin, Matthew Lyons, Rutgers University, Arya Tewatia, & The Kitchen. © Art21, Inc. 2017. All rights reserved.
"New York Close Up" is supported, in part, by The Lambent Foundation; public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council; VIA Art Fund; and by individual contributors.
TRANSLATIONS
Translated subtitles are generously contributed by our volunteer translation community. Visit our translation team at Amara for the full list of contributors:
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[@taotetyrone]

Same. I’m “Feeling Stretched” between being an Artist, Husband, Father, Business Owner, & Student. We become so stretched in the obligations to the roles we have chosen, we may find ourselves reaching for peace in non-evolutionary ways. What I have come to learn is that if we couldn’t handle it, we wouldn’t be here. It does take a complimentary gesture of stretching just a little girth for our individual well being that will allow us to outlast the temporary obstacles we may face. “And this too shall pass…” Namaste 🙏🏾 Tye

[@PhoebesWorldProductions]

Fascinating. =)

[@edwardharris9974]

really intresting concept. I like it.

[@z.833]

Funny as F.

[@emilywong4601]

yoko ono's "play" daughter!!!!

[@민속촌총각귀신]

she is not doing performance art, her behave is more like acting, frankly speaking, very similar behave as Ono among musicians.

[@void.lawyer]

If she is acting then it's still performance art.

[@Ikennaobinkaart]

So your point is it has to be boring to be Art