Jean Okada

Inspired by the Japanese holiday Seijin no Hi, "Coming of Age" is a collaboration of artists Jean Okada, Anna Sano, Chris Taylor, Masaro 18, and Andres Miranda. 

The relationship and relevancy of this "coming of age" is expressed, particularly for the twenty-something age group, with regards to marriage, career, maturity, education, and self-fulfillment.   The project, centered around a series of hand dyed and painted kimonos, combines traditional Japanese dying and painting techniques with urban contemporary influences.

Identity, authenticity, and family are ongoing themes in Jean Okada's work. Even while using her trademark "mash-up" style to explore new ground, she still honours tradition.

With a background in fashion design and textile art, most of Jean's work has been seen on the runway. Understanding the limits of the model/runway format, Jean is currently choosing to mount her pieces while combining other media sites to fully communicate and capture the thematic complexity of each piece.