Born: 1949, United States
Died: NA
Country most active: United States
Also known as: NA
The following is republished from the Library of Congress. This piece falls under under public domain, as copyright does not apply to “any work of the U.S. Government” where “a work prepared by an officer or employee of the U.S. Government as part of that person’s official duties” (See, 17 U.S.C. §§ 101, 105).
New York artist/activist Tomie Arai (b. 1949) often explores issues of identity, community, and acculturation in her work. Of Japanese heritage, Arai has created artworks related not only to her own personal history, but also diverse immigrant histories of Americans from other places including Africa and China. While celebrating the unique richness of personal, family, and community narratives, Arai’s work also reveals our shared humanity.