Unfolding Memories: Art of Testimony

Chiho Harazaki

August 9–31, 2025

Opening Reception with Panel Discussion & Live Music: August 16, 5–9 PM

LA Artcore, 120 Judge John Aiso St., Los Angeles, CA 90012

Doors Open: 4:30 PM

Panel Discussion: 5:30 - 6:30 PM

Music Performance: 7:00 - 8:30 PM

Unfolding Memories: Art of Testimony, is an evocative art exhibition by Japanese-born visual artist Chiho Harazaki. On view August 9–31, 2025, the exhibition explores themes of memory, identity, and cultural tension, inviting audiences to reflect on the enduring impact of wartime trauma. The opening reception and live event will take place on August 16 from 5 to 9 PM at LA Artcore, 120 Judge John Aiso Street, Los Angeles.

Inspired by interviews with individuals who experienced the war in Japan and the U.S., Unfolding Memories weaves together art, storytelling, and music to reflect on the deep human cost of conflict. Harazaki’s mixed-media works—spanning drawing, painting, and installation— blend traditional Japanese aesthetic with contemporary materials, including her signature use of adhesive tape. Informed by the voices of atomic bomb survivors and formerly incarcerated Japanese Americans, she creates pieces that bridge personal memory and political urgency— linking past injustice to current global tensions.

The opening event on August 16 features a panel discussion moderated by historian Diana Tsuchida, with panelists Setsuo Tomita and Sally Hamamoto—individuals who personally experienced wartime trauma. The evening will also feature live musical performances by Kozue Matsumoto, a koto player and CalArts alumna; Kevin Yokota, a drummer/percussionist and graduate of USC’s Thornton School of Music; and Southern California’s Japanese music ensemble, LA’s 33 Strings.

Created as a space for dialogue and remembrance, Unfolding Memories invites audiences to reflect across generations and cultures—connecting history to the present and inspiring empathy, justice, and peace.

Admission is free and open to the public. For more information, visit chihoharazaki.com or follow @chiho_harazaki on Instagram.

About the Artist

Chiho Harazaki is a Japanese-born visual artist based in Los Angeles. Her work blends traditional influences with contemporary techniques, including her innovative use of adhesive tape. Centered on memory, identity, and cultural storytelling, her practice reflects the experience of a first-generation immigrant navigating inherited values and modern life. Harazaki has exhibited widely across Southern California in solo and group shows at venues including the Los Angeles Municipal Art Gallery, Art Share L.A., Launch LA Gallery, and Japanese Friendship Garden and Museum of San Diego.

Diana Emiko Tsuchida is a Japanese American historian and founder of Tessaku, an oral history project about Japanese American incarceration during WWII. She’s affiliated with the Japanese Cultural and Community Center of Northern California and previously worked at the Go For Broke National Education Center. Her work has been featured by NPR and NBC’s Asian Pacific America. She holds degrees from UC Santa Cruz and San Francisco State University.

Sally Hamamoto (née Misao Muranaga, born 1927) is a former Amache incarceration camp internee. During World War II, her brother, Kiyoshi Muranaga, served in the 442nd Regimental Combat Team and was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor. Her husband, Shigeo Hamamoto, was incarcerated at Tule Lake as a result of the government’s controversial loyalty questionnaire

Setsuo Tomita (born 1932) was incarcerated at the Manzanar camp during World War II at the age of 10. A U.S. Air Force veteran and longtime community advocate, Setsuo remains active in educating others about the Japanese American incarceration experience and the ongoing relevance of civil liberties.

Kozue Matsumoto, a CalArts MFA graduate, is a Japanese koto and shamisen player whose work spans both traditional and contemporary forms. She has performed internationally and contributed to major projects including Shogun (Hulu/Disney) and Ghost of Tsushima (Sony).

Sara Sithi‑Amnuai is a Los Angeles–based trumpeter, composer, and creative technologist. A CalArts MFA graduate, she developed Nami, a custom glove interface that blends gesture with live trumpet performance.

Kevin Yokota is a Southern California–based drummer and percussionist. He earned his Bachelor of Music from USC’s Thornton School of Music in 2010. Yokota performs widely as a freelance musician and serves as a music advisor at Renaissance Arts Academy in Eagle Rock.