The present continues to move towards a future with scarcity in true depictions. This may appear counter intuitive to the unprecedented abundance of self-produced images and texts made every single day, but it is precisely this sheer quantity buried under an even larger bot/slop generated pile (mediated by its platforms/technology it exists within) that will make it almost impossible to find a “real” depiction of the present. Lack of technological literacy and the incentive of convenience have already created a world where “depiction” of our world has already become vastly degraded, less accurate, less archival and less accessible for future generations. In addition, the contemporary cultural incentives and paralysis has created a vacuum of physical art that is sincere in depicting the real.
Therefore, a sincere human depiction of what it was like to exist in our present could be one of the rarest artifacts in the future. There is also no doubt that the people of the future will scrutinize this historical period (the start of the covid pandemic to today) and its art. If we put these aspects together, it becomes apparent in the purpose of an artifact that is unmediated, archival, impossible to replicate, and real. Those aspects also happen to be inherent properties of a painting.
My project is to use the form of painting with an altered function: to preserve and depict “what it felt like” to be living in our current moment. These paintings are intended for the historians of the future who look for signs of the real. The paintings are intentionally created with properties that are instantaneously apparent and unmistakable as a painting crafted by a person expressing human experiences. The formal aspects of the picture are intentionally referential to serve as waypoints of understanding the subjective observer looking at our social and political present.
Hiroshi Sato was born in Gamagori, Japan. From the age of three to fourteen Hiroshi Sato lived in Tanzania, East Africa.
Hiroshi Sato’s work has been featured in various publications such as Fine Art Connoisseur, Juxtapoz Magazine, Visual Art Source and Art Business News Magazine.
Born Japan 1987
Museum Exhibition
2025 “Grounds”, Dominican University Barbara D. Goodman Gallery, San Rafael, California
2020 Martin Shallenberger Artist in Residence Solo Exhibition, Cheekwood Museum, Nashville Tennessee,
Solo Exhibition
2024 “Cumulus”, Marrow Gallery, San Francisco, California
2024 “Midwest”, Abend Gallery, Denver, Colorado
2023 “The Water Series”, Harris Harvey Gallery, Seattle, Washington
2023 “Transvaluation”, Marrow Gallery, San Francisco, California
2022 “Format”, Marrow Gallery, San Francisco, California
2022 ”In the Distance”, Harris Harvey Gallery, Seattle, Washington
2021 “Running in the 90’s”, Marrow Gallery, San Francisco, California
2021 “Outview” Abend Gallery, Denver, Colorado
2020 “2020”, Marrow Gallery, San Francisco, California
2020 “Flatness and form”, Two person show, Harris Harvey Gallery, Seattle, Washington
2019 “Digital Homunculus”, Marrow Gallery, San Francisco, California
2017 "Fan Fiction", Abend Gallery, Denver, Colorado
2014 “Windows and Doors”, Hespe Gallery, San Francisco, California
2013 “From Dissonance”, Hespe Gallery, San Francisco, California
2012 “New Works”, Hespe Gallery, San Francisco, California
Awards and Honors
2020 Martin Shallenberger Artist in Residence, Cheekwood Museum, Nashville Tennessee
2018 Delusional Art Competition Finalist
2017 Rise Art Prize Finalist
2017 The 19th Annual International Portrait Competition, Portrait Society of America, Certificate of Excellence award
2016 The Artist’s Magazine Annual Art Competition Finalist, Portraits and Figures, “Haircut type 1”
2014 The Artist’s Magazine Annual Art Competition Finalist, Portraits and Figures, “Changing Tide”
2014 The Artist’s Magazine Annual Art Competition Finalist, Portraits and Figures, “Sun”
2014 International Artist Magazine People and Figures Finalist, “Closet”
2012 Academy of Art, Spring Show Figurative 2nd place
Select Press
Square Cylinder review of Grounds, October 2025
Creative Boom Magazine, July 2018
Kunstenaar Magazine Feature, Number 49, December 2017
The Artist’s Magazine, Competition Spotlight, November 2017
The American Scholar Magazine, Portrait of the Artist, June 2017
Visual Art Source, Review by DeWitt Cheng, November 2014
Juxtapoz Magazine, November 2014
The Artist’s Magazine, Annual Art Competition, December 2014
International Artist Magazine, Challenge #82, People and Figures, #98 August/September issue, 2014
Fine Art Connoisseur feature article in Fine Art Today Newsletter “Hiroshi Sato: Painting and Optics” July 2013
Art Business News Magazine, Top 30 artist under 30, Fall 2013
Southwest Art Magazine, 21 under 31. September 2011.
Education
2015 Academy of Art University, MFA Painting
2012 Academy of Art University, BFA Painting
2006 Atlanta College of Art, Foundations