Multidisciplinary artist Kellen Hatanaka presents a poignant sculpture series titled 'Stolen Heirlooms,' reflecting on the losses faced by Japanese Canadians during World War II. Following their forced internment in 1942, many individuals left behind cherished items, a loss deeply felt by families. Hatanaka's work is inspired by personal family history, particularly the story of his great grandmother's abandoned shamisen. The artist contemplates the challenges of recognizing and valuing losses that transcend monetary worth, thereby linking cultural heritage to inherited trauma within the Japanese Canadian community.
This body of work is inspired by my great grandmother's story of having to leave behind her shamisen, a traditional Japanese string instrument, when she was forced to leave her home with my Grandmother and Great Grandfather.
The concept of the collective loss is abstract and complicated. How do you attempt to quantify and assign a value to a loss that goes beyond simply monetary?
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