When invited to see an art installation last spring in an abandoned small town church, what I stumbled upon was a beautiful story: rich in history and set within a backdrop of stunning visuals.

Upon meeting Montserrat Wassam, I felt moved to embark upon this storytelling project, as I could not resist the pull of the haunting secrets that inhabited the town of Walnut Grove.

My hope for Passing Through is in witnessing an intimate exchange of disclosure and expression, the audience comes away with the understanding of personal responsibility for historic and psychological legacies. The underlying theme - that all humanity is interconnected - is revealed through the development of a relationship between Montserrat and Grace Marimoto, holding testament to how each individual affects the lives of those they touch.

In Passing Through the connectivity is tangible, as the artwork of Montserrat unleashes the painful past of Japanese Americans sent off to the internment camps during WWII. This accidental discovery, as Wassam and her husband were unaware of the church's history (in which the exhibition takes place), presents a beautiful example of history and culture honored without expectation, resulting in a powerful outcome.