Rock, Paper, Scissors
Downtown Redmond Sound Transit Station
Installed February 2025

​The Downtown Redmond Link Extension adds two new light rail stations on May 10, 2025 in southeast Redmond, serving Marymoor Village near Marymoor Park, and in the downtown residential and retail core.

Five panels tile mosaic panels lead to the station along the bicycle path. Photo: Sound Transit

This piece was inspired by a historical photo of Japanese American children playing rock, paper, scissors, while incarcerated during WWII. I was struck by their resilience and playfulness, despite their circumstances. I recalled a story my grandmother told me about the unexpected social closeness that stemmed from the concentration camp experience, particularly for children who previously lived in isolated rural communities. 

Rock, paper, scissors also references the idea of "chance" that frequently appears in my work. One's life trajectory can be severely altered in a single moment. As an artist and documentarian, my main interest is to shed light on the human stories in between the politics. 

Original historical photo from Densho archives of children playing "rock, paper, scissors" in prison for Japanese and Japanese Americans during WWII

Tieton Mosaic assembling a panel with glass tile mosaic

Tile mosaic sample, Tieton Mosaic

"Rock, Paper, Scissors" hand-cut paper, ink

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