Fall 2006

     In this piece, by using Native American traditional beading techniques, I express a remarkable Japanese tradition, Japanese Tattoo. I use Native American traditional beading technique with traditional brain-tanned deer-hide, seed-beads and antique Japanese Kimono textiles. It is said that Japanese Tattoo began more than a thousand years ago. The design of this piece is a famous design for a male arm tattoo, “Sakura-Fubuki”, cherry blossoms and winds of a storm. In Japan, traditionally only gangs have tattoos. Still today when people became westernized, they strongly keep cultural tradition by using the traditional way of tattooing. They have tattoos as their symbol of their spirituality. In Japanese society, this piece would be controversial because it represents gang society. However, I chose this concept out of respect for this group of people who keep and appreciate our cultural tradition today.