Object Details
- Artist
- Tom Nakashima, born Seattle, WA 1941
- Gallery Label
- The translucent fish swimming to the center of this painting is a self-portrait of the artist. Adopted by Tom Nakashima as a symbol of fluidity, it represents his journey through life. In many of his works, he uses this animal's associations with Christianity and Asian cultures to explore his Japanese American heritage.
- The fish approaches the threshold of a large chapel, a place of refuge inspired by the Arena Chapel in Padua, Italy, decorated with religious-themed frescoes by Giotto, a famous fourteenth-century Italian painter. For Nakashima, his structure serves as a path to Japan and represents safe passage across landscapes, times, and cultures.
- Credit Line
- Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Gail and John Enns
- 1992
- Object number
- 2008.38
- Restrictions & Rights
- Usage conditions apply
- Type
- Painting
- Medium
- oil on canvas
- Dimensions
- 101 1/2 x 120 3/8 in. (257.9 x 305.9 cm)
- See more items in
- Smithsonian American Art Museum Collection
- Department
- Painting and Sculpture
- On View
- Smithsonian American Art Museum, 3rd Floor, East Wing
- Smithsonian American Art Museum
- Topic
- Animal\fish
- Architecture Exterior
- Record ID
- saam_2008.38
- GUID (Link to Original Record)
- http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/vk7ac7d1bda-cb8d-45ff-93e8-ba33fe7ed9a7
