Naomi Osaka
ORIGINAL SERIES
She was
a bad sport
Naomi Osaka was called a “bad sport” for choosing her wellbeing over the expectations placed upon her.
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In 2021, Naomi Osaka announced that she would not take part in press conferences at the French Open, explaining that they were damaging to her mental health.
She was fined and threatened with further sanctions. Osaka subsequently withdrew from the tournament and spoke publicly about experiencing depression and anxiety.
Her decision became much bigger than tennis. She was criticised for refusing an obligation expected of professional athletes — framed by some as difficult, disrespectful or a bad sport.
But Osaka was drawing a boundary.
She chose her wellbeing over performing availability for an industry and an audience that expected access to her, even when that access was hurting her.
THE DESTRUCTION
You Suck
About the Work
2026
Acrylic on canvas
I partially whitewashed Naomi's portrait, referencing advertising imagery in which her appearance and identity were lightened and altered.
Across her face I painted YOU SUCK — words shouted at Osaka by a spectator during a match.
Both interventions are about ownership. Her image, her behaviour and even her emotional responses have been treated as things other people are entitled to define.
The destruction deliberately interferes with the portrait I originally made of her: obscuring, altering and judging her in the same way the public image of Naomi Osaka has so often been shaped by everyone except Naomi herself.