Sara Medea SAYU

Sara, could you tell us a little about yourself and how your artistic journey began?

Hello everyone, I’m Sara Medea, in art Sayu. My artistic journey began in school, where I immediately knew what I wanted to do with my life. My journey began much earlier. I’ve always had a strong passion for art and creation and from a very young age I dabbled in all kinds of creative endeavors in addition to my passion for drawing, which has always been a part of me.

Regarding painting, I began developing my own personal style from the structure of the work to its execution a personal voice that I was able to deepen after finishing school, giving free to my true vision of the world. Looking at it from extremely disadvantaged perspectives but always presenting myself in line with social demands, I realized that too often others are left adrift. This is where my decision to create works that help the viewer feel less alone, to relax, and above all to instill in them an additional sense of security, because often we need someone to open up and talk to. My works therefore help the viewer feel good and relax, which is why one of the colors I use most is blue.

In 2015, I had the opportunity to create my first mural on a large space, and it was a wonderful opportunity to prove myself. I loved working on that wall, and to this day that piece is still there, just as beautiful as I left it. Other opportunities followed, which led me to create other murals, always in the Veneto region.

After finishing school in 2013, I obtained my qualification as a tattoo and piercing operator. Tattooing is a passion that was born in conjunction with feeling good, loving yourself, and wanting to help someone else accept and love themselves.

Sara Medea SAYU | Windsteel | 2019

You were born in Mestre, near Venice. How has this place influenced your way of seeing art and beauty?

I’ve always cherished the true beauty of Venice. With its multitude of styles, it’s truly one of the cities I appreciate most in the world (artistically speaking), and were I lived for a short time. Its influence is undeniable, because Mestre is a gray, industrial city, nothing like Venice, a city of enormous historical importance, where just walking brings inspiration.

I love the Baroque and its prosper.

Whenever I can, I always enjoy a tour on Palazzo Ducale, a place you simply must visit if you’re in Venice. Its magnificence and majesty draw me to the rooms, almost as if I were part of them.

Sara Medea SAYU | Via Dreams | 2025

What was the most important thing you learned during your studies at the Venice State Art School?

Definitely technique in drawing and painting. I attended a school where we did 40 hours of drawing a week. To be precise, I attended the Venice State Art High School, majoring in Academy Studies, a program that offered excellent artistic training even without a fine arts academy. Unfortunately, 2013 was the last year of this major, which was the original purpose of the school.

I was already thinking about what my career path would be, and at school i did what was required, but I always pursued my own. I always preferred to independently explore what inspired me. In fact, it was with my high school thesis that I was able to demonstrate for the first time what I mean. From the presentation to the research, it was greatly appreciated and considered the best presentation with fascinating content. It encompasses some of my main artistic and philosophical influences, including Van Gogh, Japonism with his prints, and Japanese tattooing, one of the first tattoo styles I explored.

How did the artistic name Sayu become part of your creative identity?

My stage name, Sayu, derives primarily from its similarity to my name, Sara. I’ve also always had a deep love for Chinese and Japanese culture and their philosophy, which I’ve also learned through sport. I’m a brown belt in judo. I grew up with this philosophy/sport, it shaped my character, and the reference, to this philosophy certainly couldn’t be missing from my stage name.

Furthermore, when pronounced SAYU, it can sound like “see you” in Italian, “ti vedo” and it also encompasses a more fitting greeting, “see you again,” in Italian “ci vedremo ancora” a very important message, also against abandonment.

Sara Medea SAYU | Harmony | 2016

Your paintings often combine galaxies, waves, and organic forms. How do these images usually come to you?

These arise from my inner self, the galaxies for depth the context of the galaxy is infinity representing presence and darkness, this serves me to represent the depths of each of our souls something still partly unknown.

The spheres represent awareness, reason, thoughts, water for the perfect element and movement. Here we unite with biomechanics, the motor science of the human body, merging water with the movement of the body, representing this union with natural forms; water is the source of life, the origin of the best ideas purified from the rot that surrounds us. In fact, in one work, “WindSteel,” its reading is jokingly like a self-X-ray to ensure everything is in order, to ensure this heavy city hasn’t left an indelible, malevolent mark.

These forms come to life in my thoughts, in my visions, and in the gestures of creation.

The idea of an inner journey is very important in your work. What emotions or thoughts would you like viewers to feel?

With circular movements and the color blue, i help the viewer experience a relaxed, introspective vision. I create an almost hypnotic sensation, a dreamlike reality that leads to self-rediscovery, even simply to something beautiful we had forgotten.

In my “Gold Chapter” series of artworks, I use gold leaf to help the viewer retain impressions of the best moments of their lives and remember the most beautiful experiences thanks to the strong visual impact imparted by the works. Indeed, they range from an infinite depth like that of the three-dimensional universe, enhanced by the insertion of clouds and galaxies, to an abstract gold in the foreground. The message received is “remember,” and this thought is combined with gold, the memory will fall upon it. Therefore, the beautiful thing is that elements such as the sphere (essential for me) can also be found in these works to enhance the message of awareness.

Sara Medea SAYU | Nami | 2019

You are also a tattoo artist and street artist. How do these different practices influence your paintings?

I love creating works in large spaces; I can truly express everything. My first experience was in 2015, followed by other creations in underpasses and private spaces. For me, wall tattoos and contemporary art are one and the same because everything comes from me. The practices are different, but for me, the thought and the execution make no difference because they are part of me.

I study forms, so it’s easy for my work to be suitable for both canvas and skin, as well as being suitable for large-scale creation. The images must be captivating, allow for breathing space, and become an integral part of the viewer, just as in tattooing, the work or drawing becomes part of us.

My tattoo style is New School/Biomechanical/Bioorganic, but I never touch anyone else’s work. I work indoors for months developing new ideas, possibly without a phone, to maintain my originality.

My goal with tattoos is to faithfully reproduce my artwork on skin, while continuing to develop my tattoo designs.