Na Omi J. Shintani

Solo exhibition: “Our Hearts Pulse Together” January 11 - February 16
Public opening reception Sunday, January 12, 1-4 PM
First Friday Artwalk Artist Talk, February 7, 5 PM

Na Omi J. Shintani makes art as a way to connect and heal during times of trauma, chaos, and uncertainty. Her solo exhibition “Our Hearts Pulse Together” expresses her relationship with her ancestors and culture.

Shintani’s family endured imprisonment in incarceration camps during WWII. She turned to art to research, educate, and express this injustice. Her art strives to heal the loss of Japanese culture for many incarcerated families who felt they had to assimilate and leave behind their language and traditions when they were released.

Shintani’s work blends ritual and innovation, serving as a slow art-making meditation. She incorporates traditional Japanese crafts into her work, exploring themes of resilience, mindfulness, and balance. Within her assemblage, mixed media, and sculptures, one can find sashiko, a Japanese stitching technique traditionally used for mending clothes; momigami, the process of kneading paper to turn it into fabric; kirie, the art of papercutting; and wrapped stones.

Shintani received her M.A. in transformative art from J.F.K. University, a program based on self-knowledge and working with the community. She has shown her work in museums and public art exhibitions across the United States and internationally for two decades. Shintani grew up in Lodi, California; she lives and works in Half Moon Bay.

Na Omi J. Shintani, Deconstructed Kimono No. 9, 2024, 72 x 48 x12 inches (photo by Susan Friedman), $3,600