Written by: Katie Dietzel, Public Relations Intern
Photo by Ingrid Damiani
Hiromi Moneyhun is a contributing artist for LIFT: Contemporary Expressions of the African American Experience which presents a modern response to Jacksonville’s African American Heritage, while using the lyrics to James Weldon Johnson and John Rosamond Johnson’s Lift Ev’ry Voice and Sing as inspiration.
Hiromi Moneyhun, Black in White, papercut, 30 x 156 in. (Detail)
Moneyhun moved to Jacksonville in 2004 from Kyoto, Japan. She began drawing at a young age and created her own style by her teen years. Moneyhun has no formal art training, instead creating her unique style from the inspiration of Japanese visual art forms and the modern influence of Japan’s larger cities. She is considered a paper cut artist, using a multi-step process to create three-dimensional works of art that invite the viewer in.
Moneyhun was inspired by the constant struggle of African Americans to find their place in a white world. She depicts her work on a white paper to capture the essence of a foreign and often hostile environment, highlighting African American individuals who may or may not be known to many.
Hiromi Moneyhun, Black in White, papercut, 30 x 156 in. (Detail)
“These are but a dozen members in a much larger chorus that lifted its voice and sang of freedom in the face of overwhelming odds,” says Moneyhun of her pieces in the LIFT Exhibition.
To learn more about Hiromi Moneyhun visit her website.
