NAKAO Shin Shin
Born: 28 December 1892 – Died: 27 July 1942
Particulars:
Shin Shin was born in Okinawa Prefecture in Japan. He was a single man working as a merchant in Djomber in Java, Dutch East Indies, now Indonesia. He had a mother in Kunigami Gun in Okinawa. When the Pacific War broke out, he was taken to Australia and interned at Loveday Internment Camp in South Australia. He died in Barmera Base Hospital from tuberculosis at the age of 49. His grave is in the Japanese Cemetery in Cowra, New South Wales, Australia.
–Mayu Kanamori
More info:
Ery Higa
Artist/s Statement:
Shin Shin Nakao crossed the ocean twice – once in search of a future in Java and again to meet his fate in Australia. The ocean in the background symbolises these journeys – the hope and the unknown. On his imagined silhouette you can see the sky of Okinawa, the land where he was born and perhaps now watches over. Scattered throughout are kanji, each reading as ‘shin’, like his name, holding meanings that could hint at fragments of his life, his character, and the times he lived through.
His story reminds me of my family, who also crossed the ocean from Okinawa looking for new opportunities in Brazil. Though their paths went differently, the hope for something better and the weight of what is left behind are feelings that connect our stories.
Artist Bio:
Ery Higa is a Brazilian born graphic designer raised by Okinawan parents who emigrated in the 1960s. With a background in branding, merchandise, and various digital creative fields, Ery has called Australia her home for over nine years, and continues exploring design as a storytelling and connection tool.