In September 2010, the Japanese Canadian National Museum will be celebrating its 10th Anniversary as part of the National Nikkei Museum & Heritage Centre (NNMHC). This exhibit is an opportunity to showcase contemporary art produced in collaboration with Japanese Canadian community members and taking inspiration from the museum’s significant collections. Four new works created specifically for the exhibit will offer critical artistic and cultural perspectives on the Japanese Canadian experience within a Canadian framework.
Kizuna – Connecting through Generations brings together four contemporary artists of Japanese Canadian ancestry: Natalie Purschwitz (interdisciplinary artist working with fibre and textiles); Greg Masuda (photographer/filmmaker); Miyuki Shinkai (painter and glass artist); and Mark Takeshi McGregor (musician and contemporary music collaborator). The artists have been chosen for a number of reasons – their diverse perspectives on Japanese Canadian experience as young emerging artists, the range of media they represent, their desire to build connections within the community, and the importance of their work in relation to cross-cultural understanding.
The term Kizuna means bonds or ties - either a physical or ephemeral connection. Each artist will work with a community member (who they may never have met before) from a different generation of Japanese Canadian experience. The museum collections act as a tool to inspire discussion or memory, and can also act as a visual inspiration for the artist. The end result will be a unique presentation of history and community - a contemporary installation/art piece that mixes the past and present and speaks to the future. The exhibit will open on September 10, 2010.
We invite you to follow the artists and their creative process in the coming months.
