Tending My Grandmother's Garden

Through the history of Japanese craft and gardening my work discusses the Japanese American experience over generations. Immigration, heritage and mixed-race identity weave in and out of the landscapes I create.

I was fortunate to spend a significant amount of time with my great-grandmother. During her life time I was not old enough to think critically about her immigration to the United States. In hindsight, I see she greatly influenced my creative practice, teaching me how to beautifully mix cultures. Her Buddhist-style alter in homage to Jesus Christ was the norm for me. In the summer, we watched karate movies and ate Ho Ho’s. Her somen (Japanese cold noodles) was my favorite childhood snack and I ate it with a fork. In a way, my work is a reflection of my great-grandmother’s way of life. I analyze the similarities and differences in cultures to create imagery that addresses my ideas and emotions.

The recreation of “gardens” discusses the failings of memory. Stories and culture are lost as time passes and the legacy of immigration and war morph into its own realm. Consequently, my family’s relationship with Japan and its culture has been skewed into a specifically American space.

The author Alice Walker once wrote, “…I suffer from racial vertigo that can only be cured by taking what one needs from one’s ancestors.” Her encapsulate the struggles which inspire me and my need to find out who I am within the collective."