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Portrait of Naoki Sakamoto (1994)

Bartow’s relationship with Naoki Sakamoto was also significant in shaping Bartow’s artistic practice, particularly in his work with Japanese paper. Naoki Sakamoto, a Japanese paper maker from Tokyo, introduced Bartow to the art of working with handmade Japanese paper.

Bartow himself acknowledged the importance of this relationship, stating, “It was through our relationship with the Japanese paper maker, Naoki Sakamoto of Tokyo… that I began to work with Japanese paper.” The relationship with Sakamoto was part of Bartow’s broader engagement with Japanese culture and artistic practices, which began with his travels to Japan in the 1990s.