Photographer Motoya Nakamura has created a body of work by making photographs and videos of cherry blossom trees throughout one year at the Japanese American Historical Plaza and Bill of Rights Memorial in Portland's Tom McCall Waterfront Park. The trees, which were a gift from Japan, manifest Japanese American history that is unique to this region and evoke Nakamura's desire to explore the notions of belonging, identity and diaspora—notions with which the artist constantly grapples.

According to Nakamura, "As a resident of the United States and an immigrant from Japan I have lived half my life in each country. My identity has changed as I have assimilated to the new culture. I often feel as though I am a foreigner in this new land while simultaneously feeling like a stranger in the old. The trees embody this change and complexity."

Nakamura's exhibit includes several photographs at the Oregon Nikkei Legacy Center. Through these beautifully rendered oversize digital prints, Motoya Nakamura captures the natural beauty and awakens the cultural wonder these trees hold.

Visit www.oregonnikkei.org for more information.