Recent Acquisitions Albuquerque's Asian Heritage THE EXHIBITION, COURAGE
have many objects like this
AND COMPASSION:
that enable us to tell the
OUR SHARED STORY
stories of Asian Americans.”
OF THE JAPANESE
The Miyoshis moved to
AMERICAN WORLD WAR
Albuquerque in the late
II EXPERIENCE, presented
1960s as newlyweds when
in the Keleher Gallery in
Dennis secured a job as a
2019, focused on the history
physicist at Sandia National
of Japanese Americans in
Laboratory. They have lived
Albuquerque. And it was
here since, raising two
also the exhibition that
daughters and bringing
prompted Geri and Dennis
both sets of their parents
Miyoshi to donate two
to Albuquerque. The crests
framed family crests to the
were presented to Geri and
Albuquerque Museum
Dennis’ parents on their 50th
History Collection.
wedding anniversaries, in
These stunning artifacts are
1990 and 1991. The family
each made from 1,000 folded
folded every crane in the two
origami cranes, and measure
crests and had them finished
24 inches. Each crane is made
in Hawaii, where such crests
from a single sheet of origami
are particularly popular.
gold-foil paper. One crest
When Geri visited the
features chrysanthemum and
Courage and Compassion
the other features gentian
exhibition in 2019, she
leaves encasing a flower-like
thought the crests would
family emblem.
make a good addition to the
Family crests made in this
Museum’s chronicle of Asian
way are a popular Japanese
Americans in New Mexico. In
American tradition in honor of
research files included as part
50th wedding anniversaries.
of the donation, Geri wrote,
“This is a particularly exciting
“…We would be honored
acquisition because we would
to share these crest art
like to build our collection
pieces with the Albuquerque
of Asian American historical
community to offer a glimpse
objects as they relate to our
into some of the culture
community,” says Leslie Kim,
and tradition of a Japanese
curator of history. “We don’t
American family.”
8
SUMMER 2021
Art. History. People.
Unidentified artist, dates unknown; Kauai County, Hawaii Ouchi Family Crest, 1991, mounted and framed origami Albuquerque Museum, gift of Geri and Dennis Miyoshi, PC2021.20.1 Unidentified artist, dates unknown; Kauai County, Hawaii Miyoshi Family Crest, 1990, mounted and framed origami Albuquerque Museum, gift of Geri and Dennis Miyoshi PC2021.20.2
