Stepping into the “Garrick Imatani: Monologue” exhibit, the viewer is immediately struck by the sparse and minimalistic space. There are only a few artworks in the gallery, creating a very desolate feeling. The objects in the space look humorous; a pair of irregularly shaped legs are attached to a sliding door and tree branches are assembled on a piece of plank wood.
“I struggle with how to define what making art for myself means and distinguishing that from making it for an audience,” artist Garrick Imatanisaidin the webinar “Making After Melancholia.”“I approach the work from a position that makes my narrative non-dominant. I have a self-consciousness of how I appear to my family and consciousness to a constructed version of how I am viewed within my culture.”
The “Monologue”exhibit challenges viewers to question what they think about different cultures. As a Japanese-American artist,Imatani views his mixed-culture heritage with a double-consciousness, influenced both by his Japanese parents and the dominant White society. His work combines the culture he assimilated to in America and the study of his ancestral history.
“Making this work is a goal to liberate myself,” Imatani said. “There are a number of works in the show that embody a kind of aesthetic that is inscribed to Japanese heritage. You have a Shoji screen, Ikebana-related sculpture and a handmade paper piece of my mother’s family Kamon.” The Shoji screen refers to a sliding door, an Ikebana is a flower altar and a Kamon is a family crest.
“We are in a time where we recognize racialization as a myth and demand an authentic voice,” Imatani said. The artist believes humor empowers him to connect with his culture. This approach comes through “Unknown-4,” one of the pieces in “Monologue.” The work is an assemblage of evergreen branches arranged on plywood, shaped similar to a native Japanese tree. As viewers examine the piece, a cannon of air suddenly shoots out. “Unknown-4” is a performance piece that makes the viewer question their physical connection to the exhibit itself. Local artist Mika Aono believes the prank symbolizes the artist’s loose connection with his culture, making him perceive things differently.
“Even though you’re a Japanese-American, you became so far removed from the way it is in Japan,” Aono said.
Imatani’spieces “Unknown-5” and “Unknown-6” require the observer to apply their senses. “Unknown-5” is a Shoji screen door with irregular-shaped feet attached to the bottom and an abstract painting at the top. When the viewer closes the sliding doors, they witness a deconstructed body that was torn and stitched to the door. “Unknown-6” is Imatani’smaternal family crest printed onto paper and framed. When the viewer approaches the symbol a purple light emerges around the frame. When they turn their back, it will shut off. The artist’swork represents him connecting back to his roots and using practical jokes to mess with the viewer’s perception of Japanese culture.
“This show is about Garrick being him,” said Imantani’sfriend Ariana Jacob. “Each piece is a specific joke that explains what it means to be an American with a multicultural history.”
Imatani intends for his viewers to interact with the objects in the room. He inspires the viewer to look past the presumptions of identity and believes culture is multifaceted.Non-dominant ethnic communities often struggle to be represented by mainstream outlets. With the refocus of violence against Asian Americans during the COVID-19 pandemic, all of us need to listen to diverse narratives.
“It is heartbreaking to see this sensationalized violence,” Imatani said.“It is the perpetual attitude that we are the enemy and invading. We can now see this deep xenophobia come to the surface.”
Curator Yaelle S. Amirorganized “Garrick Imatani:Monologue” through her program Dismantling the House, a series that examines the institutions and authorities that shape our physical, mental and personal safety. The exhibit is on display at the ANTI-AESTHETIC art center in downtown Eugene until May 1. It is open on Saturdays and Sundays from 12 p.m. – 4 p.m by appointment.
As a part of the Dismantling the House series, Garrick Imatani uses his personal experiences with culture to convey the influence of a dominant identity on minority groups or individuals. The exhibit includes interactive displays that can be moved or that light up as viewers pass by. Anti-Aesthetic hosts programs and artistic displays near downtown Eugene, Ore., for Eugene Contemporary Art on April 24, 2021. (Madi Mather/Emerald)
