Community Mural Project in Osaka, Japan

Q&A with Alumni and Artist Betty Nguyen...

Can you share your process for creating the mural?

Widespread collaboration was key to the project since its inception and participants from across the community were invited to contribute to the mural during the live-painting events that occurred over the span of 2 weeks. I was already hosting weekly workshops at the library and invited the youth and their caregivers to participate. A local community partner who organizes recreational activities with disabled communities and older adults was invited to bring participants to join the project. The staff at a local factory recruited 100 people to participate.

To ensure the experience was accessible and approachable to as many people as possible, I designed 3 stations that engaged different types of creativity. Staff were present at the stations to help guide participants.

1. Brainstorming: On a template, participants were encouraged to think about the theme of a glowing future and sketch out words or images
2. Tools: Participants were encouraged to experiment with an assortment of provided and found objects (sponges, leaves, gloves, rollers, paint brushes etc.) and choose the tool they would like to use to paint.
3. Paint: Paint was provided in 3 primary colors and white. Participants were able to learn/practice color theory to mix the colors of their liking.

Some interesting challenges emerged during the live event. One participant wanted to write his favorite lines from a rather explicit heavy metal song. Another participant drew a trademarked logo of a sports company onto the mural. As an experienced facilitator, I was able to navigate these in a supportive, creative way - we compromised on a wholesome section of the lyrics, "for all my friends," to be put on the mural and transformed the risky logo into the tail of a peacock. This way, we preserved the participants artistic intent while being mindful of the needs of the hosting company.

Sweet, memorable moments occurred as well: a young child reached into narrow crevices to add a handprint, a wheelchair user smoothly rolled along the mural and pained an uninterrupted line, and a local delivery man, who happened to walk by, added his own contribution.

At the end of the live event, it became apparent that there were some unpainted/unfinished areas. Fortunately, during the course of the event we were able to identify 2 other professional painters who spent the next few days with me in adding final touches and the company logo. The owner of the company added the final touch of a rainbow extending towards the sky. We sealed the mural and invited the community members back to the container for a final celebration, where the city mayor made an appearance.

Through the process of this mural, I was reminded about the importance of trust in making a mural. The business owner and community partners trusted me- someone who had lived in the city for only half a year- to creatively direct this event and oversee the completion of a satisfying art piece. The attendees trusted that they would feel safe and supported in participating. Community partners trusted each other as they shared their resources and networks. We all trusted each other to fill a massive container with our colorful aspirations of a glowing future. 

Are you currently working on any creative projects? Future projects?

Since the mural, I've worked on a few community-based collaborative projects. In December of 2023, I had a solo exhibition  at a local taco shop in Osaka, where I created an interactive landscape of belonging and visitors were invited add a self-representative creature to the landscape. I met Vietnamese artist, Tuan Mami and assisted with his work for the Osaka Kansai International Art Festival, where we worked with the local Vietnamese-Japanese community to gather and exhibit plants in a Vietnamese Immigrating Garden. At the end of my fellowship, I created a collaborative book with weekly participants at art literacy workshops I hosted at the city library.

Once I returned to my hometown in San Jose, California, I returned to doing improvisational, collaborative theater programming in spaces such as a senior community center, a recovery cafe, and jails and prisons. In my personal time, I've been illustrating puzzles and putting them together in collaboration with people I care about!

As for future projects, I'm mostly trying to re-root myself in my hometown. I started working with the City of San Jose's Office of Racial Equity, managing projects specifically addressing immigration, inclusion, and belonging. Through this role, I am hoping to celebrate the creative strengths of the individuals and communities that find themselves in San Jose. New Paragraph