'DREAMS TO DREAMS' VINYL SHOW FEATURES INTERPRETATIONS OF TRADITIONAL DARUMA DOLL

The Japanese American National Museum in association with Dacosta of Chocolate Soop has unveiled the first custom vinyl toy show in a museum, the "Dreams to Dreams" Custom Vinyl Show, featuring the works of 40 + artists who customized Chocolate Soop’s DCTO (Dream Come True Object), a futuristic vinyl version of a traditional Japanese Daruma or folk toy. The display will be available through Saturday, January 4, 2009, closing at the National Museum’s annual free Oshogatsu (New Year’s) Family Festival, where participants will be able to create their own daruma doll.

The opening reception, sponsored in part by Daruma Asset Management, Inc., is set for Saturday, December 6, from 1 to 4 p.m. This reception coincides with the 2 p.m. presentation of "The Pink Dress", a puppet presentation depicting the story of a young Japanese American girl living in a government-run World War II domestic concentration camp, trying to express her individuality under severe conditions. "Dreams to Dreams" artwork will be on display and on sale at the Museum through the month of December and through the Museum’s Oshogatsu celebration.

DCTO (pronounced dik-toe) is an urban vinyl version of a Daruma, symbol of the 5th century Buddhist monk who meditated so long he lost the use of his arms and legs. Daruma dolls come with unpainted eyes. People use a Daruma as a symbol of personal dedication to a new venture or new beginning. Painting in one eye shows commitment to a goal; once the goal is achieved, you paint in the other eye.

Among the artists contributing pieces to the "Dreams to Dreams" are Amy Inouye, Camilla d’Errico, Charles Hui, Donna Ikkanda, Koji Takei, Kazuko Shionoka and Sachiho Hino of Spicy Brown, Steve Talkowski and Qris Yamashita. All of the works on display are available for sale through the Museum Store. To see what is on sale, go to www.janmstore.com.

For additional information contact Maria Kwong at the Japanese American National Museum at mkwong@janm.org or call (213) 830-5610. To see more about the "Dreams to Dreams", go to http://www.janm.org/exhibits/dreams-to-dreams/. For more information about DCTO and Dacosta, go to http://chocolatesoop.com/Studio/DCTO_Jibun_Project.html.

Tickets for "The Pink Dress" are sold separately and are $6 for youth, children and National Museum members and $12 for non-members. To make reservations, call (213) 625-0414.