"Since 2018, Sakurako Kuroda has been working on the ongoing project I have to be there, in which she recreates global masterpieces by hand, cuts out the subject’s face, inserts her own, and photographs herself. This piece is part of a series based on Japanese ukiyo-e shunga, where she places her face into both male and female figures. Shunga refers to erotic woodblock prints from Japan’s Edo period (1603–1868), often used as secret sexual education tools.

By inserting her face into both roles, she explores the idea that the masculine and feminine aspects within herself are in search of one another. For her, it’s not merely about finding a partner, but about encountering a deeper reflection of the self—like her right hand reaching back to find her left. Inserting herself into historical masterpieces becomes an act of self-love, a way of embracing admired works to nurture personal growth and a sense of worth. It’s also a momentary claim to the prestige of great art.

She found a unique pleasure of self-consciousness in the hidden face within the artwork. That pleasure feels like an inner union of masculine and feminine, mediated through the power held by the great masterpiece."