A native of Seattle and currently based in New York, Kenzan Tsutakawa-Chinn is an LED light installation artist who has also practiced fiber art (indigo dye in particular). Tsutakawa-Chinn’s artistic expertise and experience, as well as his intimate knowledge of SAM’s Asian Art Museum building and Volunteer Park, guided him as he conceived this installation here in the Garden Court.
Born out of a combination of cultural inspiration, metaphysical energy of art, and compositional geometry, the installation takes the shape of a canopy with a cross pattern found in both ikat and sashiko (stitch) textiles. It slowly narrows in the front, creating an elegant curve and a welcoming gesture for visitors entering the museum. Isamu Noguchi’s Black Sun sculpture in Volunteer Park serves as a symbolic focal point, radiating its energy into the Garden Court and onto the LED canopy.