Unfolding Memories

Unfolding Memories: Art of Testimony bridges past and present through art, storytelling, and music, illuminating the experiences of Japanese and Japanese Americans during WWII. Opening August 16, 2025, at LA Artcore, this three-week exhibition includes original artworks inspired by interviews with survivors of the bombings in Japan and incarceration in the United States. A rare and urgent panel discussion will amplify their firsthand accounts, followed by live performances by LA-based international musicians at the opening. By reflecting on the cost of war in both defeated and victorious nations, this project ensures that the lessons of the past resonate deeply within today’s sociopolitical environment.
Exhibition Date: August 9–31, 2025

Opening Reception: August 16 (Sat) 5–9 PM
    Door Open: noon
      Panel Discussion: 5:30 - 6:30 PM
      Music Performance: 7:00 - 8:30 PM
LA Artcore:
120 Judge John Aiso St., Los Angeles, CA
Gallery Hours: Thursday - Sunday 12 - 4 pm
Nearby Public Parking Lots:
Aiso Parking Lot:
101 N Judge John Aiso St, Los Angeles, CA 90012

City of Los Angeles, Lot 7: 
140 N Judge John Aiso St, Los Angeles, CA 90012
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View Works
August 16th Opening Event Participants
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.
Takashi Hoshizaki (b. 1925) was among the youngest of the 63 Japanese American draft resisters tried at Heart Mountain in 1944. After refusing to report for his draft physical in protest of the incarceration of Japanese Americans, he was convicted and sentenced to three years at McNeil Island federal penitentiary. Following his release, he earned degrees from UCLA, served in Korea, and became a respected scientist and educator. Now 100 years old, he remains a powerful voice for civil rights and remembrance
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 1931) 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 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.