COMMUNITY DAY OF PAINTING SET FOR JANM-COMMISSIONED MURAL

The Japanese American National Museum has commissioned a mural for the north wall of its Tateuchi Democracy Forum and invites the public to participate in a community day of painting on Saturday, October 25, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. All ages are welcome and no reservations or tickets are required.

Moon Beholders has been designed by muralist, author, and illustrator Katie Yamasaki. Yamasaki is based in Brooklyn, NY, and has painted more than 60 murals around the world. She has also had three books published, including Fish for Jimmy, which she both wrote and illustrated.

The mural is intended to represent, celebrate, challenge, and preserve diverse concepts within Japanese American culture, both contemporary and historic, while connecting with the diverse community around the Japanese American National Museum. It features a young girl, clothed in a variety of furoshiki, traditional Japanese cloths long used to preserve, protect, and transport items, including those being given as gifts. Also featured are lanterns, representing the idea of akari, meaning light or illumination. A haiku by Basho, the famous poet of the Edo period in Japan, is also included.

The mural was approved by the Los Angeles Cultural Affairs Commission and the city’s Public Art Committee on September 18. It is scheduled to be completed on or about November 15, at which time there will be a dedication event.

Individuals wishing to participate should wear attire appropriate for an exterior painting project and closed-toe shoes. Work will be done on the lower section of the wall, accessible without lifts or ladders. Yamasaki will be present to explain the content and symbolism of the mural as well as offer a simple lesson in the use of highlights and shadows.

JANM’s Tateuchi Democracy Forum is located at 111 N. Central Ave., in Los Angeles’ Little Tokyo. Local parking information is available at Metro.net.

NOW ON VIEW AT JANM:

Common Ground: The Heart of Community
Ongoing
Incorporating hundreds of objects, documents, and photographs collected by JANM, this exhibition chronicles 130 years of Japanese American history, from the early days of the Issei pioneers through the World War II incarceration to the present.

Hello! Exploring the Supercute World of Hello Kitty
Through April 26, 2015
Organized as part of the global icon’s 40th-anniversary celebrations, Hello! examines the colorful history of Hello Kitty and her influence on popular culture. The exhibition includes an extensive product survey, with rare and unique items from the Sanrio archives, alongside a selection of innovative contemporary artworks inspired by Hello Kitty and her world. Hello! is a specially ticketed exhibition.

About the Japanese American National Museum (JANM)

Established in 1985, the Japanese American National Museum promotes understanding and appreciation of America’s ethnic and cultural diversity by sharing the Japanese American experience. Located in the historic Little Tokyo district of downtown Los Angeles, JANM is a hybrid institution that straddles traditional museum categories and strives to provide a voice for Japanese Americans as well as a forum that enables all people to explore their own heritage and culture. Since opening to the public, JANM has presented over 70 exhibitions onsite and traveled 6 of its exhibitions to over 30 locations, including the Smithsonian Institution and the Ellis Island Museum in the United States, and several leading cultural museums in Japan and South America.

JANM is located at 100 N. Central Ave., Los Angeles. Museum hours are Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Thursday from noon to 8 p.m. General admission is $9 adults, $5 students and seniors, free for members and children under age five. Admission is free to everyone on Thursdays from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. and every third Thursday of the month from noon to 8 p.m. General admission prices and free admission times may not apply to specially ticketed exhibitions. Closed Monday, 4th of July, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day. Closed October 30–November 2, 2014, for Hello Kitty Con. For more information visit janm.org or call 213.625.0414.