ABOUT ARTIST

Artist Statement

I am mainly working with series of paintings and drawings that are in some way connected to my life and experiences. My interest in other culture and art in different countries took me on travels across the world during turbulent and historically significant political times, which are clearly reflected in my artwork. To see other culture and communicate with local people at each location where I visited during my travels has greatly influenced my point of view and has led me to focus on cultural and political themes in my paintings.

I believe art is the "voice of the artist" and another language that artists use to speak their mind, how they see the world, and their point of view on life. Also, I believe art is a challenge to break down the norms existing in our everyday life by showing unique or different perspectives.

My previous series were based on Japanese culture themes, which combine Western and Japanese traditions. My challenge in these series was to show the beautiful elements of Japanese culture with the images in a way that people from other cultures could appreciate and make a connection with. Through viewing my paintings, the viewer gains a glimpse into a world they may know little about. I hope this series of paintings will help people in the world to better understand different cultures and bring interest to the Japanese culture.

Currently, I am working on a series of drawings titled “American Family” which represents each family member in the multi-cultural family of mine. This series shows off the diverse character of each individual in my family and the mixing of cultures to promote the idea of unity rather than division and racism.