Nine pine boxes were arranged on the floor of the gallery, each surrounded by moss. On one wall lengths of gauze were suspended from ceiling to floor. On one of the lengths of gauze was a small bun made of hair clippings gathered in a piece of gauze. In the far corner there were many more of these buns nestled together, a multitude which grew steadily during the course of the exhibition. In some of the boxes were lenses through which the viewer could see archival photographs, most taken by Euro-American photographers, of Japanese women in Hawai'i, bathing or at work as sugar plantation laborers, waitresses in hotels, or in the home. The sound of running water could be heard from one of the boxes.

Photographs (left to right):
Japanese woman holding blond baby, ca. 1900, photograph by Alonzo Gartley, Bishop Museum Archives, Honolulu, Hawai'i

"Typical scene in Royal (Hawaiian Hotel) lounge in the late 20s, with Japanese maids in native costumes serving tea to guests," Hawai'i State Archives, Honolulu, Hawai'i

Japanese woman and child, Honolulu, c. 1927-1928, photograph by and gift of Dr. Philip G. Weaver, Hawai'i State Archives, Honolulu, Hawai'i

"Early plantation days bathtub," William T. Brigham Collection, Bishop Museum Archives, Honolulu, Hawai'i

Size of room:  15'w x 51'l x 12'h. 
Wood, lenses, light, photographs, moss, cloth, artificial hair, sound, violet-gray paint. 

Photo credits: Aresh Javadi, Lynne Yamamoto