“Objects of Collective Memory”
Powder-Coated Aluminum Balcony Rail

Designed by Lauren Iida

Commissioned by InterIm CDA
Seattle’s International District
Installed February 2023

Uncle Bob’s Place

Interim CDA commissioned 12 artists to create thematic balcony rails honoring community organizer and activist, Bob Santos for a new building dedicated to his legacy

ARTIST STATEMENT

“The concept reflects my recurring "Memory Net" project which contains "trapped" symbolic objects pertaining to Japanese imprisonment during WWII, the greater Asian American experience and identity, lost cultural objects, untold stories. Each object symbolizes a specific story, either one told to me by my Japanese American ancestors, or a story submitted to me by another Asian American community member. For example, poet and activist Lawrence Matsuda's childhood toy "Bear Bear" (he was born in Minidoka), visual artist, Judy Shintani's oyster shell and knife (her family worked in the oyster industry), a carved wooden bird made by my great grandmother while she was incarcerated at Tule Lake. Sprinkled throughout the composition, holding everything together are cherry blossoms (representing childhood innocence of those children incarcerated during WWII in America and also those incarcerated today in America), dice (representing the element of chance in all aspects of life), Matsutake mushrooms (representing Asian diaspora migration throughout history), eyeglasses (representing the resilience of many oppressed people who still pursued education), and many other symbolic objects. This image also contains strawberries, peas, persimmons, and a peach recalling the significant immigrant contribution to developing agriculture pre-WWII on the west coast and in our modern times throughout the United States.”

— LAUREN IIDA

Paper prototype for aluminum fabrication by Lauren Iida