いってきます (I'll Go and Come Back)

"いってきます (I'll Go and Come Back)" is part of the ダブル • Daburu collection, a partnered exhibition with my friend and fellow Japanese-American artist Marie Okuma Johnston at Gallery 110. 

This collection explores our bicultural identities and experiences between the United States and Japan. Daburu is the Japanese hepburn spelling of double, a rising identity of mixed-race Japanese. Traditionally, mixed-race Japanese have been called “hafu” or half, which only places value on the Japanese side of identity rather than embracing the entirety of a person’s experience. The title of Daburu is also a play on the double feature of the artist's stories, identities, parallels, and bicultural experiences. 

"いってきます" is a common phrase said before leaving the house, which directly translates to "I'll go and come back." The painting is based on the entryway of my family's home, looking out towards the front garden. 

28"x22" oil on stretched canvas 

signed by artist