Being an artist can be hard enough — but being part of an artist couple comes with a truckload of angst, as director Zachary Heinzerling demonstrates in his debut documentary feature "Cutie and the Boxer." This is about the life and times of artists Ushio Shinohara and his wife, Noriko, who have been a Brooklyn fixture for the past 40 years.
"For a long time Ushio didn't look upon his wife as a fellow artist," Heinzerling tells The Japan Times. "In the traditional Japanese way, and typical of his generation, Ushio saw and treated Noriko as a helpmate and assistant.
"It was when people became interested in Noriko and her work that he woke up to her talent as an artist. And that made him a little jealous. At the same time, I don't think he was entirely convinced of her abilities. They have a complicated relationship."