GARDENA —?On Friday, Feb. 26, at 7 p.m., the Okinawa Association of America (OAA) will host a meet-and-greet with artist Laura Kina.
A professor of art, media, and design at DePaul University in Chicago, Kina will discuss her latest collection of paintings, titled “Uchinanchu.” These mixed-media creations incorporate Okinawan and Hawaiian T-shirts donated by OAA members, resulting in quilt-like designs that capture the “champuru” (Okinawan word for “mixed”) nature of Okinawan American identity specifically and Asian American identity in general.
A joint exhibition, “Transnational Lives in Motion: The Art of Laura Kina and Vi?t Lê,” will be displayed at Cal Poly Pomona’s Kellogg University Art Gallery from Feb. 27 to April 23.
Kina will also share photos and stories from a study abroad program that she leads every year. Titled “Okinawa, Japan: Art, Politics, and Economy,” the in-depth tour focuses on traditional and contemporary art while exploring the political and historical struggles that have shaped Okinawa.
Admission is free for current OAA members and $5 for non-members. The OAA is located at 16500 S. Western Ave. in Gardena 90247. RSVP is required. Email [email protected] or call (310) 532-1929.