Mapping the life of Jimmy Mirikitani

Mirikitani moved with his parents to Hiroshima at a young age, spending his childhood and adolescence there before returning to the United States in 1940. Often describing himself as a “Sacramento-born, Hiroshima native,” Mirikitani maintained his sense of attachment to Japan throughout his life. Japan was also his artistic home, where he studied Nihonga under the tutelage of Kawai Gyokudō and Kimura Buzan. Many of his works trace this artistic lineage, reflect on his early life, celebrate the landscapes of Japan, and commemorate the devastation of Hiroshima following the atomic bombing.

The West Coast marks several important events in Mirikitani’s life. He often emphasized Sacramento as his birthplace, signaling a lasting sense of origin and belonging. During World War II, Mirikitani was forcibly incarcerated at Tule Lake, an experience that became a central subject of his work. The region also held family connections, including relatives in Seattle and the Bay Area, which he visited at different moments in his life. Together, these sites register origin, movement, and the lasting impact of incarceration across his artistic practice.

After being released from incarceration, Mirikitani arrived in New York City in the early 1950s. New York remained the primary site for his artistic activities and living until his death in 2012. During his “sidewalk time” living on the streets between the late 1980s and 2001, Mirikitani turned the sidewalks and parks of Lower Manhattan into his studio, gallery, and meeting place, embracing the ethos and communal spirit of New York City into his work.