Belonging to Nature: Art and Memory in the San Fernando Valley Artist: Keiji Ichikawa
About the Exhibition
The exhibition, Belonging to Nature: Art and Memory in the San Fernando Valley, brings together four deeply personal series: A Lady in Her Wheelchair, From My Window, My Neighbors, and San Fernando Valley. Each collection reflects the artist Keiji's lived experiences and profound belief that we do not own nature; we belong to it. Working with only five acrylic colors, Keiji paints intuitively, guided by memory, emotion, and a "sixth sense" that has shaped his art since childhood.
A Lady in Her Wheelchair reflects Keiji's eleven years as the sole caregiver to his wife after her stroke, tracing devotion, grief, and the quiet transformations that occur in the wake of loss. From My Window began with an almost meditative observation of the changing trees outside his home— guided by Keiji's own subjective vision, painting not what he sees but how he feels. The San Fernando Valley series emerges from his hikes throughout that natural space, where he discovered new landscapes that deepened his connection to place. Each piece features a small self-figure, sometimes just a shoulder, allowing viewers to see the scene through his eyes and step into the space he creates. Finally, inspired by a super blue moon, the "My Neighbors" series reimagines the familiar street he once shared with his wife.
Presented by Esperanza Community Housing at Mercado La Paloma, this exhibition honors art rooted in caregiving, discovery, and our enduring connection to the natural world.
The exhibition is free and open to the public from December 2, 2025, to February 22, 2026, daily from 9 AM to 9 PM, at Mercado La Paloma, 3655 S. Grand Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90007.
About the Artist
Born in Tokyo, Japan, Keiji Ichikawa grew up surrounded by the artistry of his parents, who embroidered colorful kimonos—a foundation that shaped his lifelong visual sensitivity. In 1981, Keiji moved to the United States and eventually settled in the San Fernando Valley, California. His early exposure to both Japanese craftsmanship and Western art profoundly influenced his approach to painting. He works exclusively with hand-made oil and acrylic on canvas, guided by his belief in the authenticity of traditional mediums.
Keiji’s paintings are intimate reflections of his life and emotions—his connection to nature, his years as a caregiver to his wife after her stroke, and his ongoing journey of loss, healing, and rediscovery. His art is not photo or hyper-realism; rather, it is rooted in real scenes yet transformed by his thoughts, memories, and senses. Through his art series, Keiji shares his truth with honesty and vulnerability: “I can lie, but my painting doesn’t lie.” His work invites viewers to feel, reflect, and, as he says, to “let your six senses paint.”
