A Landmark Exhibition at Casa Celebrates the Living Legacy of Nikka Yuko Japanese Garden

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Photo courtesy of The Gallery at Casa

The Gallery at Casa is proud to present "Nikka Yuko – Re:Turning the Stories", a major multidisciplinary exhibition running from June 14 to August 23, 2025, featuring works by 42 artists who have engaged in a year-long exploration of Nikka Yuko Japanese Garden. This expansive exhibition will occupy both floors and all gallery spaces at Casa.

To mark the occasion, the opening reception will be held on Saturday, June 14 from 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM, offering an opportunity for the public to meet participating artists, explore the exhibition, and engage with the stories that shape our collective memory. The reception will feature the Taiko drummers, Minyo Dancers, and origami demonstrations.

Established in 1967, Nikka Yuko Japanese Garden is not only a symbol of cross-cultural friendship—its name blending elements of Japan (Ni), Canada (Ka), and Friendship (Yuko)—but also a living reflection of the Nikkei experience in southern Alberta. From early 20th-century settlers, to communities displaced during World War II, to resilient individuals who chose to remain and rebuild, the Garden is a monument to history, place, and belonging.

"Re:Turning the Stories" emerged from a 2024 public call issued by the Gallery at Casa in collaboration with Nikka Yuko and the Nikkei Memory Capture Project. Artists were invited to consider the Garden not only as a landscape but as a repository of stories—a site that holds memory, invites reflection, and continues to shape identity.

Over the past year, participating artists engaged with archival materials, conducted site-specific research, and worked in their studios to create original artworks that span a wide array of mediums and themes. From deeply personal meditations on place and memory, to formal studies of colour and seasonality, each work responds to the multivocal nature of the Garden and the histories it holds.

The exhibition is grounded in the guiding principle of the Nikkei Memory Capture Project—that in "returning the stories, "we acknowledge the layered past, give voice to the present, and participate in the co-creation of shared histories.