Ichigo-Ichie: The Fruit that Bears Secrets

Opening a solo exhibition at the ACT on Saturday September 13-Dec 20, 2025. Opening reception Saturday Sept 13 from 2pm-4pm.

Ichigo Ichie roughly translates to ‘once in a lifetime’, which speaks to the dream of Issei (Japanese-born immigrants) to come to Canada for new opportunities. Issei worked hard to cultivate farmland in an unfamiliar (and sometimes hostile) environment. Their lives were disrupted when World War II broke out, and 22,000 men, women and children were forced into internment camps under the War Measures Act.

Through mediums of digital animation and immersive installation, this exhibition explores the history of Japanese Canadian berry farmers who settled and worked in the Fraser Valley prior to World War II. The foundation of Mochizuki’s art practice is memory work with Nikkei (Japanese immigrants and their descendants), by visiting and collecting their stories about the past, many of whom were children at the time. 

A central artwork in this exhibition is a large-scale projection of a 60-minute, hand-painted animation titled Autumn Strawberry (2021) detailing Nikkei farming life. Compass (2017) is an installation that presents choices and paths forced by war. Three-dimensional works include puppets and props from each film.