An Exhibition by Four Japanese American Women Artists:
Reiko Fujii, Lucien Kubo, Shizue Seigel, Judy Shintani
Exhibition: August 17 - September 18
Mon. - Fri. 11 am - 5 pm, Sat. Noon - 5 pm
Reception: August 21, Saturday, 6 - 9 pm
Arts & Consciousness Gallery, John F. Kennedy University
2956 San Pablo Avenue, Second Floor, Berkeley, California
510.647.2041
Over seventy artworks by Reiko Fujii, Lucien Kubo, Shizue Seigel and Judy Shintani. Over seventy artworks by Reiko Fujii, Lucien Kubo, Shizue Seigel and Judy Shintani. Fujii’s intricate glass kimonos, Kubo’s richly textural shadowboxes, Seigel’s vibrant paintings and photocollages, and Shintani’s resonant found-object installations reflect deeply upon the Japanese American experience. The art arises from the strength of the immigrant Issei, the incarceration experiences of the Nisei, and the artists’ personal journeys of discovery and identity as third generation Sansei.
The exhibition is accompanied by a 74-page, four-color catalog with a preface by art historian Margo Machida and introduction by Betty Kano, co-sponsored by the Asian American Women Artists Association.
Events (free and open to the public except where noted):
Saturday, August 21
Artists’ Panel Discussion, 4 - 6 pm
RECEPTION, 6 - 9 pm
August 28, Saturday, 2 - 4 pm. Intergenerational Legacies - Hybridity in an Evolving California. Interactive slide talk by artist and author Shizue Seigel. What are the mythologies and the untold secrets in our family histories? How have our stories been shaped by larger socio-political forces? What values or attitudes do we consciously (or unconsciously) carry? With minorities now the majority in California, how can our diverse stories enlarge the dominant perspective?
August 29, Sunday, 1 - 4:30 pm. Art Making Workshop: Honoring Ancestors through Art
Tell your family stories through writing, painting, and collage. Facilitated by Judy Shintani, JFKU Arts & Consciousness Alumna. Fee: $25. RSVP: judyshintani@yahoo.com
September 18, Sunday, 3 - 4:30 pm. Multi-Media Performance:
Grandmothers from Far Away Lands, Stories about Internment, The Egg House Wall, The Farm, and The Glass Kimono
Performed by Reiko Fujii, Judy Shintani, and Lisa Petrides. Following the performance, there will be an opportunity to meet the artists and ask questions.
Directions to the Arts & Consciousness Gallery from I-80, take Ashby exit and turn left into the parking lot at Ashby Plaza Clock Tower (just west of San Pablo Ave). Drive towards the water tower and look to right for signs to JFKU Arts Annex (loading dock B). The gallery is located on the 2nd floor. For special assistance with disabilities, call 925-969-3362.
About the Artists
Reiko Fujii documents and preserves everyday memories of the past and present. Through her art, ordinary people symbolize universal heroes and everyday activities are perceived as rituals that contribute to the wholeness of peoples’ lives. She expresses her personal, political and historical views about the Japanese American experience by intermingling short performances, video, installations, fused glass sculptures, and handmade books.
Lucien Kubo thinks of her art as philosophical narratives. She is sorting out how she feels about humanity and the world around her and is inspired by her life experiences and involvement with community and global issues. Lucien takes found objects, recycled materials, photographs, paintings and various art mediumsto create assemblages and mixed-media art pieces. These evoke memories of past experiences, current events and a sense of shared history, all presented in a contemporary manner.
Shizue Seigel is a writer and artist who seeks to inspire compassion and connection by illuminating the overlooked and unseen within ourselves and in others—particularly how we are shaped by race, gender, religion, culture and history. She is the author of In Good Conscience: Supporting Japanese Americans during the Internment.
Judy Shintani focuses on remembrance, connection, and storytelling. Her family’s stories and Japanese heritage are important areas of richness. She creates installations and sculptures with assembled found and natural materials to explore social, historical, and cultural issues. Often her work h
as an interactive component allowing viewers to discover and respond.
For more information: Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/JAArtists
shiz1@mindspring.com or call (415) 221-0487
