Umami: Savouring Artistic Nikkei Identity

February – September 2025

• Part 1: February 8 – May 17, 2025
• Part 2: May 27 – September 27, 2025
• Exhibit Opening + Artists’ Conversations: February 13 and May 29, 6 – 8pm

In our 25th anniversary year, the Nikkei National Museum & Cultural Centre (NNMCC) celebrates the vibrant and diverse artistic expressions of Japanese Canadians with the “Umami: Savouring Artistic Nikkei Identity” exhibition from February through September in the Karasawa Gallery.

Just as “Umami” represents the complex layers of flavour in cuisine, this exhibition delves into the depth and richness of Nikkei artistic identity. Featuring a diverse range of artists, from emerging to established, including Japanese Canadian Legacies Art fund awardees. From traditional to contemporary art practice, the Umami exhibition shares the rich essence of our Japanese Canadian creative community.

Anchoring the exhibition is the interactive and thought-provoking Kintsugi installation by Annie Sumi and Brian Kobayakawa. This contemporary multimedia piece, inspired by the traditional Japanese art of mending ceramics with gold, conceptually mends broken and shattered experiences of what it means to be Canadian of Japanese ancestry. It utilizes a Singer sewing machine that survived the era of Japanese Canadian internment and dispossession. By manually manipulating the machine, visitors can activate original music and spoken word, creating a unique and moving experience.

Part 1 of the Umami exhibition also showcases the work of Todd Inouye, Ken Mizokoshi, and Wendy Tanaka, each offering unique perspectives on the Japanese Canadian experience through their distinct artistic styles. Inouye’s work focuses on materiality and healing. Mizokoshi takes an archival approach to photography. Tanaka combines portraiture of both family members and treasured objects. Inouye, Mizokoshi, and Tanaka will be in attendance at the Exhibit Opening + Artists’ Conversations on February 13.

Experience the Umami exhibition and explore the rich tapestry of Nikkei artistic expression. Visit the NNMCC from February to September 2025.