Yasuyo Tanaka
My desire to create art comes from my search for the meaning of our existence. My creative process is a key I use to understand myself, others, and the world. The most precious thing in my life is the quest for truth. Art is my guide and mentor. In subtle yet profound ways, my work answers questions I have previously posed.
Biography
Yasuyo Tanaka is a first-generation Japanese immigrant, with passionate interest in radiation disasters, caused by the Fukushima nuclear accident, and the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. She is a social practice artist, educator, independent researcher, and peace activist. Based on her research and experiences with social and environmental issues, she engages in creative activities through her multidisciplinary art practice, which includes printmaking, photography, writing, bookmaking, and performance art. In her collaborative projects, she creates educational programs on the theme: “To teach is to be taught”. She organizes: exhibitions, events, and festivals, to foster community with local people.
Artist Statement
My desire to create art comes from my search for the meaning of our existence. My creative process is a key I use to understand myself, others, and the world. The most precious thing in my life is the quest for truth. Art is my guide and mentor. In subtle yet profound ways, my work answers questions I have previously posed. In my creative process, I bring out my voice from my heart and seek truth by using meaningful colors, symbolic objects, tactile textures, layered images, etc. To overcome the complexity of languages while living in another country, my art became my own language that transcends my native and adopted tongues. Combining different techniques and disciplines, broadens my range of expression, and increases my vocabulary. Teaching is part of my expression. I create and share my research experience and documentation in my artwork. In order not to lose sight of myself, my theme of teaching is discovering ourselves through our own experiences, learning from each other, and finding the meaning of our lives. My goal is to build up our mutual understanding by raising my own, and other social consciousness and independent thinking.
www.cargocollective.com/yasuyotanaka
Artist Gallery
