02/07/2025
So proud of the installation at the Dog House Gallery at Brooklyn Comedy Collective - BCC 137 Montrose Ave, 137 Montrose Ave. Bk, NY L train to Montrose Ave.
GALLERY HOURS: Hours: Mon-Wed 1-7pm, Sat/Sun 4-6pm
Dog House Gallery is pleased to present: Yoshie Sakai: Christmas in January “Obaa-chan” Style, a solo exhibition by artist. The Dog House Gallery is a gallery inside The Brooklyn Comedy Collective to bring artists who focus on humor in their work to a comedy space.
“Christmas in January “Obaa-chan” Style is inspired by Sakai’s relationship with her “obaa-chan” (grandmother in Japanese), a first-generation immigrant from Japan. Like many immigrant families, the first generation sacrificed greatly for financial stability = love = a better future for their children and grandchildren. Her “obaa-chan” lived day-to-day, unable to save much. Even in her 80s, she faced new stresses navigating family dynamics and the pressures of consumer culture, often feeling inadequate for not being able to buy expensive Christmas gifts.
This installation offers a humorous, dark twist on these themes, inspired by Hans Christian Andersen’s “The Little Match Girl” and the phenomenon of after-Christmas sales. While some celebrate Christmas in January as Orthodox Christians, and “Christmas in July” captures the holiday spirit in warmer months, my story imagines “obaa-chan” embracing post-holiday discounts to buy gifts for her granddaughter. Though she couldn’t afford luxurious presents, she found joy in searching for deals that made Christmas possible in January. The piece also reflects the relentless nature of consumerism, with Valentine’s Day looming as the next target. Through this lens, I explore love, sacrifice, and the subtle resilience of my “obaa-chan” in a world shaped by capitalism.”
Leran more about here: https://www.yoshiesakai.com/