A Floating Bridge of Dreams – Japanese art show opens at Cannery Row
Painting by Emiko Wake: “Mambi,” the first blossom of a woman" “It started two years ago when we first met in Tokyo,” says Emiko Wake. “It was quite a coincidence that we had the same idea for a long time.” There are three of us sitting upstairs at Cannery Row Art Studios in Redondo Beach, and Emiko is replying to questions about “Wa,” the all-Japanese art show that she’s curating with John Cantu, which opens on Saturday. Emiko’s interest in such an endeavor goes back to some key observations: Americans are often curious about Japanese art and culture, but it tends to end up as an unfulfilled curiosity rather than resulting in true, in-depth knowledge. One of the reasons for this, she continues, is that “Americans don’t understand our culture because we’re not giving information out. We’re not introducing enough. That’s the reason I really wanted to have the show,” which would not only reference traditional art, but through the work of contemporary artists convey a sense of what Japanese people today are thinking and feeling and wanting to express. “We’ve always been just waiting for Americans to knock on our door, to ask the questions,” Emiko says. “It’s a good part and a bad…
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