Lot Essay
Yasuhiro Sakurai studied during a critical period when the art of carving sculptures sought to define itself within the realm of modern fine art, thus compelling Sakurai to question his own concepts and which medium would best suit his desire to carve his ideal vision of a woman. After vigorously experimenting with assorted materials such as marble, clay, lacquer and camphor for a period of 9 years, Yasuhiro Sakurai finally chose cypress wood for its softness and pale hue that much resembles skin itself. For Sakurai, the sculpture is not precisely premeditated but rather it is his subconscious that guides his hands over the wood with a spirit of their own.
Using the creamy beige tones of the wood to convey human warmth and allowing the grain to naturally mimic strands of hair and contours of the face, Sakurai's sculptures are beaming with vivacity only Sakurai can foresee in a rough piece of wood. The alternating deep groves and shallow valleys of the sculpture's hair create unprecedented depth and luxurious texture to the hair that coats the head like blanketing velvet. The vitality and human likeness is accentuated in the polished asymmetry of the hair which frames the candid facial expressions of the women as they stare at the viewer in a coy sideways glance, their mouths slightly ajar as if caught off-guard. She is an alluring yet innocent woman, somewhat veiled by her hair as if shy and protective. What is perhaps most striking are the cloisonne eyes which are the only painted points of the sculpture, an element which unmistakeably draws the viewer to connect with the virtues behind the aesthetic beauty of Sakurai's carvings.
Using the creamy beige tones of the wood to convey human warmth and allowing the grain to naturally mimic strands of hair and contours of the face, Sakurai's sculptures are beaming with vivacity only Sakurai can foresee in a rough piece of wood. The alternating deep groves and shallow valleys of the sculpture's hair create unprecedented depth and luxurious texture to the hair that coats the head like blanketing velvet. The vitality and human likeness is accentuated in the polished asymmetry of the hair which frames the candid facial expressions of the women as they stare at the viewer in a coy sideways glance, their mouths slightly ajar as if caught off-guard. She is an alluring yet innocent woman, somewhat veiled by her hair as if shy and protective. What is perhaps most striking are the cloisonne eyes which are the only painted points of the sculpture, an element which unmistakeably draws the viewer to connect with the virtues behind the aesthetic beauty of Sakurai's carvings.