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one thousand generations

Completed June 2021 / 12' x 13.5' latex paint exterior wall mural / commissioned by Local Color San Jose in partnership with The San Jose Museum of Quilts and Textiles, Veggielution, and The San Jose Downtown Association

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Time frame: Conceptualization and feedback went from March 2021 to May 2021. Painting window of 10 days in June 2021, completed in 7 days.

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📍 SoFA Pocket Park: 540 South First Street, San Jose CA 95113

Theme specifics: 

  • Exploring the diverse range of artistic, historical, and cultural traditions of quilts and textiles in their work. 

  • Engaging our community and activating a space where the community can embrace public art. Although not a requirement, proposed murals may make the community pause, pose a question or engage the public in a unique way.

  • Beautifying the exterior and creating a compelling colorful mural that transforms the exterior space.

Artist statement: “One Thousand Generations” illustrates an exploration of mixed cultural identity through traditional Japanese textile elements. I was initially inspired by the boro patchwork process, where worn fabrics are pieced together and reinforced by sashiko embroidery to make new garments. Boro personally reminds me of how one's character can be influenced by a rich tapestry of experiences woven together, either in one's own lifetime or passed down through generations. As a third-generation Japanese American, I am continuously discovering the patches and patterns that make up my own identity. The flock of chidori birds surrounded by iconic floral motifs symbolizes empowerment and liberation through the journey of learning about one's own ancestral roots. In Japanese, the chidori's chirp is a homonym for "chiyo", meaning "one thousand generations".

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