Interviews
Does a Nikkei culture exist? (Spanish)
(Spanish) In terms of biological interpretation, yes, we are the community that has the biggest number of graphic artists and arts and crafts. Why do I say we’re the culture with the biggest number? The painters, sculptors, designers, identify themselves as Nikkei. That doesn’t mean they are Japanese descendants, and in their works they always try to place some detail of their ancestry. So there is a Nikkei culture. Yes, there is, I think so. I’m convinced there is a Nikkei culture, as there is a women culture, black culture, gay culture, heterosexual. There just is. The detail is you have to go beyond, as I told you, the biological issue and find other marks. For example, Rhonny Alhahel, a painter that is not Nikkei, says he paints like a Japanese. It is interesting. I think there is, and they also wouldn’t mythicize nor downplay it. Not even to say that it exists or it doesn’t. It only exists. It is one more aspect of a type of art.
Date: February 26, 2008
Location: Lima, Peru
Interviewer: Harumi Nako
Contributed by: Asociación Peruano Japonesa (APJ)
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