Judy Shintani

She has a Bachelor of Science in Graphic Design, from San Jose State University along with a Masters of Transformative Art, which she got from JFK University, Berkeley.[2] Some topics that were included in her courses at JFK University were learning about Expressive Arts with elderly clients and holistic approaches to arts education.[2] Along with these degrees her education also involves various workshops and other programs some of which include traditional kimono sewing, Dream it Build it (an installation workshop) and Native American Pottery.[2]

Shintani's most recent exhibition is titled Dream Refuge for Children Imprisoned. This exhibition was held in 2019 at the Triton Museum of Art in Santa Clara, California.[3][2] The installation comprises life-size drawings of children sleeping in a circle, which is a symbol of healing and inclusion, along with a few children sleeping on the floor in the middle of the circle.[3] The drawings represent Japanese American Concentration Camps during World War II (in which her father is represented); Central American children, who are living at the United States border, separated from their families and imprisoned; and Native American boarding school children, who were taken from their families and denied their culture.[2][3] In addition to the installation, recordings of stories and personal experiences of individuals who lived through these times are playing in the room.[3] This exhibition was meant to be a healing installation that would shine light on the hard times of incarceration in the United States history.[2][3]

Shintani works within the visual arts. Her artwork includes conceptual mediums, installations, and sculpture. Often, her work includes found or recycled objects, video, words, organic materials, textiles, and cultural clothing to create her installations and assemblages.[4] She works with whatever material most successfully expresses the story being told.[5]

During World War II, President Franklin Roosevelt issued Executive Order 9066, which caused 120,000 mostly Japanese- Americans to be evacuated and imprisoned in 10 incarceration camps.[5] This executive order directly impacted Shintani's family, which is why her work tries to acknowledge repressed emotions, memories, and feelings about this time.[5] As an individual whose family faced this trauma, Shintani considers her art a personal process of transforming and healing for herself and her family.[6]  Shintani is working to try and take people beyond the words written in a textbook and look at personal experiences and how to use this material to show how the past connects to what is happening today.[6]

Shintani's artwork focuses on remembrance, storytelling, and connection.[7] The assemblages and installations are used to create performances and facilitate social interactive activities that produce stories that shine light on important issues.[2] The subjects of her work are predominantly made up of people who were imprisoned and their memories, along with the thoughts of their families, therefore, Shintani has focused a large part of her career on researching and producing artwork that will give a voice to these internal memories or hidden stories about history.[6][2] Shintani's career exploration of Japanese American history has expanded to include other cultures whose children have been incarcerated in America.[7] Working with communities is important to Shintani, as she believes that art can lead someone in search of their identity.[4] This community involvement occurs as viewers of Shintani's artwork are encouraged to participate and become art collaborators through interacting with the artwork and providing feedback on their thoughts.[4][2]