Shrine Base | Carrie Ann Miyamoto

 

September 3–30, 2015 | White Gallery

Reception: Wednesday, September 30, 2015 | 5–8pm

Curated by Maggie Heath

Shrine base is the literal translation of my family name. The creatures that live near the base of the shrine are made up of imagined, borrowed, and combined images of Japanese courtesans, demons, and spirits. I am the product of strange and inexplicable relationships; my identity exists between worlds, never fully belonging to one or the other. In this work I question where I come from, my culture, and who my ancestors are. ShrineBase is a surreal world inhabited by strange and inexplicable beings.

Recently, I have been introduced to traditional Japanese painting and scroll–mounting techniques, tools and materials. This practice has connected me to the Japanese culture which has not been a big part my life. I carry a beautiful surname and know nothing about the individuals that have passed it down. This work is a response to the absurdity of how disconnected I am from my origins.

Carrie Ann Miyamoto holds a bachelor’s degree in art practices from PSU, and is currently an MFA student at Pacific Northwest College of art focusing on Print Media. She is originally from Honolulu, HI and is currently living in Portland, OR.

A passionate printmaker, Carrie Ann Miyamoto has recently been exploring non-traditional forms of print, in the form of mixed media original prints, sculpture, installation, and animation. Carrie Ann’s work often includes topics of cultural and personal identity, displacement, and a connection to the land and one’s place in it.