NOAH KATO-SAMUEL



          



NYC SALT EXPO ‘25


Encroach- A young woman seen from above, captured in a moment of intimate proximity.
Laid Bare - A moment of vulnerability shared with me by my mother—the taboo of appearing “weak” before her child giving way to a rare honesty, revealing a sense of realness that is both uncommon and essential to understand.
Free - A young woman lying in the bed of a truck, moving through the world with a sense of freedom that pays no mind to societal norms or expectations—simply being, without performance or pretense.
Hindsight- My grandmother in a state of retrospection, sharing the winding story of how she arrived at this point in life with her grandchild.

This portrait series presents four women who have each played a meaningful role in my life. Through these intimate and deeply personal images, I seek to explore and express the emotional landscapes that define my most valued relationships and represent ideas that are important to me. Each portrait is more than a likeness; it is a meditation on connection, vulnerability, and memory.
By focusing on the quiet, often overlooked moments between artist and subject, I attempt to capture the essence of what it means to truly see and be seen. The women in these portraits are not just subjects; they are collaborators in a shared process of reflection and emotional honesty.
This body of work serves not only as a tribute to these individuals but also as a broader exploration of the emotional resonance found in human relationships.