A collection of losses (previously here) represented by multidisciplinary artist Kellen Hatanaka, who suffered during World War II, was encountered by Japanese Canadians. Currently located in Ontario, Hatanaka is best known for creating vibrant symbolic paintings and paintings that celebrate movement, design, history and culture. His work often combines issues of race, tradition and heritage, specific to the nuances of Japan-Canadian experience. Hatanaka draws on the history of internships in Canada and Japan in “Stolen Family Heirloom”. Starting in 1942, 22,000 people on the coast of British Columbia were forcibly removed from their homes. Their notifications are short and only allow for one or two suitcases. Therefore, many of their possessions were left behind. Through these works, Hatanaka tries to deal with the losses endured by her grandparents and others:
“This work was inspired by the story of my great-grandmother, that when she was forced to leave her home with my grandmother and great-grandfather and great-grandfather, she had to leave her Shamisen, a traditional Japanese string instrument. This made me wonder what other items were still missing, if the items were still there, if orphans were present somewhere, then the notion of collective loss was abstract and complex.
Hatanaka depicts imaginary objects with cultural or emotional value. The concept of heirloom is used to resemble the transmission of physical objects and the transmission of generations between Japanese Canadians and inheritance trauma.
