JOSH KAWAHATA

Age: 22

Hometown: Hacienda Heights, CA

Generation: 4th - Yonsei

Biography: Josh Kawahata is currently pursuing a B.F.A. in drawing and painting at the California State University of Long Beach. 

Name of Piece: Let Go Be Brave

I wanted to tell the story of some of the things I used to fear growing up and the pressures I felt. I always felt like I wasn’t enough and I was running out of time. As a kid, I would have a recurring nightmare where there was an overflow of numbers. I was afraid of never finding someone with whom I could share intimacy and it felt like the embarrassment of riding a tandem bike alone. I grew up playing basketball and sacrificed my life for it. I was in constant cycle of trying to find myself. I would build up what I thought were my truths, only be torn down over and over again by all the things I didn’t know. It felt like being a caterpillar turning into a butterfly, only to be shrunk back into a caterpillar again. It wasn’t until I took the time and embraced art that I found the clarity I always dreamed of finding and the strength to move on. I had to go through these experiences to find the balance I have today and I’m thankful for them.