Tokyo native Fumino Hora will present her works of art in an April 23 program at the Maridon Museum, 322 N. McKean St.

The Maridon Museum will host artist Fumino Hora at 7 p.m. April 23.

Hora, a native of Tokyo, will introduce her works of art and their historical and cultural background in a power point presentation.

The Maridon's traditional Hina dolls and one of Hora's brass sculptures, "Musician 2," are now on display at the museum.

According to the artist, Japanese people celebrate Hinamatsuri (Girl's Festival) on March 3, displaying Hina dolls and offering peach blossoms and sweet sake to these dolls to celebrate the girl's growth and the arrival of spring.

The porcelain dolls, wearing traditional Japanese kimonos made out of silk, represent the imperial family — the Emperor, the Empress, the soldiers, the court ladies, the musicians and the shoe keepers, Hora said.

"My parents bought a set of 'Hina' dolls when I was born. They displayed the dolls during the 'Hinamatsuri.' I was excited to see them each year. I admired their beautiful costumes and gorgeous decoration. My parents had to put them away as soon as the 3rd of March was over. Japanese people believe that the girl will not be able to get married if the dolls are displayed after the festival," she said.

Hora will also talk about her artwork.

"The images on the works are from my mother's old family album. The people pictured are all somehow related to my mother — her family, her relatives and her friends," she noted. "The photographs were taken between the 1920s and 1950s. Working with these old photographs felt like collecting the roots of my own identity."

For her art she works with brass as if it were fabric. "Metal is strong and stubborn, but at the same time, it is flexible and elegant. To me, this is precisely the nature of women," she said.

Admission to the program is $5 for nonmembers and free for museum members. Reservations are required. Call the museum at 724-282-0123.