The Painted Photographs
of
Lissa Jones and Curtis Fukuda

Since the late 1980s, Lissa Jones and Curtis Fukuda have collaborated on numerous projects encompassing multi-cultural themes and motifs. They use photography as a springboard to the final art, often adding other media.

Both artists bring different influences to the partnership. Jones comes from a Fine Arts background with an emphasis on site-specific installations. Fukuda brings his filmmaking experience with its concerns for narrative.

In the mid-1980s, Jones and Fukuda saw a hand-painted photograph by the late Miguel Heredia of Mexico City. For decades, Heredia painted both photographs and movie posters. His work inspired Jones to experiment with her own painting techniques and color sense.

Mexico (specifically Oaxaca) provided the inspiration for Jones and Fukuda's art. Their interest in Mexican culture began when Jones first viewed the beguiling carved animals of Manuel Jimшez in 1984. Jimшez's art opened the door to the rich artistry and spiritual life of Mexico.

Jones and Fukuda regularly journey to Oaxaca. They search for the feeling of life in their documentation of ritual life. For instance, an altar often holds objects reflecting the mixture of indigenous beliefs, Catholicism, pop culture, personal treasures, and the practical. This art form, drawn from multiple cultures, is then altered in the process of photography and paint.

'Otherworldly' and 'meditative' are some words the artists use to describe their work.

It is important to understand how our documentation of a celebration like El Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) affected our own lives. As Asian-Americans, we found commonality in the Oaxacan view of life and death.

The preciousness and meaning of objects are expanding in their artworks and move across cultural boundaries.

This is an ongoing conversation for us. The myths and the storytelling. Everything has a story.

Together, Lissa Jones and Curtis Fukuda have completed about 100 original hand-painted photographs with the common theme of the Day of the Dead in Oaxaca, Mexico. Each one is original, unique and inspiring.

We invite you to look at three examples of their stunning work. For more information and background, go to Curt Fukuda's Website.


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The Painted PhotographsofLissa Jones and Curtis Fukuda

The Painted Photographs
of
Lissa Jones and Curtis Fukuda