Q: Tell us why do you make sculptures about sexuality.

Yuli: Eroticism and sexuality have always fascinated me. When I was a child, I used to draw my own erotic manga (Japanese for comic books) and hide them in my locked drawer.

As an adult, I continue to be inspired by the topic to create beauty and laughter in and around my life. It is obvious that nature, which includes human beings, is preoccupied with procreation. This energy fuels our existence and it is sacred. Many ancient cultures knew this and produced fertility art objects in different medium for rituals, ceremonies as well as for pleasure. What I do is nothing new and I continue to carry on this ancient tradition of embracing our inherently sexual nature, with beauty, humor and an acute sense of inquiry.

Q: Why do you work so extensively in stone?

Yuli: Because I love it so much. My stone carving is one of a kind and it is DURABLE. It's going to be around for a while and it's the antithesis of mass produced, industrial products that we are constantly bombarded with these days.

Stone also lifts up my heart. When I see its beautiful colors and patterns created by nature in the course of thousands of years or more, I am in awe. When I work with stone with my hands, I feel deeply connected to the earth and I imagine the incredible journey that a rock has taken to come to my possession.

Q: How long does it take you to carve a stone sculpture?

Yuli: People ask me this question all the time. I will say, each piece takes a lifetime because it is the sum total of everything I have ever experienced. I want people to know that creativity is nothing like a job with an hourly wage.

Q: And finally, do you feel that your artwork reflects
your Japanese background?

Yuli: Japan is where I am from and where I spent first decade of my life. I will always carry its cultural sensibilities and they will show up in my work one way or the other. I have also spent considerable time in a number of different countries and adopted diverse cultural/social perspectives that are uniquely different from Japanese. My approach is to incorporate variety of artistic traits that resonate with me and ultimately convey in my art a universal message to esteem and embrace life, nature and love.