Laura Kina

Orion (2016)
acrylic on canvas, inkjet transfer, assorted fabrics, 2011 Uchinanchu Taikai shirt worn by delegates from the LA Kenjinkai donated by Ryan Yokota, Air Force uniform -58.5 x 71 inches

My artwork focuses on themes of distance, belonging and the fluidity of cultural difference and the slipperiness of identity. Okinawan and Hawai‘i diaspora and mixed race representations are subjects that run through my work. I start with autobiographical impulses and draw inspiration from popular culture, textile design, personal and community photographic archives and oral history interviews. I see what is missing, what is not being told, what is not obvious, and I go hunting for it. I am interested in the overlap, fusion, disjuncture, or vibration that happens when I bring back the missing pieces and put them together. http://www.laurakina.com