Press and Pictures from "Art Is My Life" Okinawa, Japan

 

沖縄系ハワイ移民４世：沖縄への思い語る (Okinawakei Hawai imin yonsei: Okinawa eno omoi kataru) "A yonsei Okinawan-Hawaiian immigrant tells her thoughts about Okinawa." QAB TV, December 4, 2012, Naha, Okinawa, Japan. Featuring an interview with Laura Kina and her father, George Kina.

「沖縄の女性」歴史描く：県系米国人画家キナさん ("Okinawa no josei" rekishi egaku-kenkei beikokujin gaka Kina san) "Telling the history of Okinawa women-Ms. Kina, an Okinawan American artist/painter." Okinawan Times, December 18, 2012.

I was honored to be included in "Art Is My Life," a special exhibition curated by Megumi Tomiyama on Okinawan women artists held in conjunction with "Women in Between – Asian Women Artists 1984-2012," at the Okinawa Prefectural Museum and Art Museum December 4, 2012 - January 6, 2013 in Okinawa, Japan. My dad, George Kina, joined me on this special trip back to the land of his grandparents where we visited with our extended Maehira side of the family. Tomiyamasan invited to give an artist talk at the Museum which was covered by QAB news and the Okinawa Times (see above). I was very grateful to Rinda Kayatani for her expert translation and thrilled that I could be in an exhibition with my new friend Ikuko Hanashiro. Ryukyu University professor Kina Ikue also hosted me for an invited lecture "Mixed Race Asian American Art: Chanpuru Spirit and 'hapa' Identity" on December 5, 2012.

My dad and I at the Okinawan Prefectural Museum and Art Museum

Installation view of my artwork in "Art Is My Life"

Standing in front of works from my Sugar series as part of "Art Is My Life"

Okinawa Prefectural Musueum and Art Museum

Entrance to the Okinawa Prefectural Museum and Art Museum

Ceiling of the Okinawa Prefectural Museum and Art Museum

My dad and I with our Maehira family relatives

Installation view of "Art Is My Life"

Ikuko Hanashiro in front of her installation in "Art Is My Life"

After the lecture at Ryukyu University from left to right: Rinda Kayatani, Chihiro Sakihara, Samantha May, Ikue Kina, George Kina, Laura Kina, Megumi Tomiyama