The Wing Luke Museum’s exhibit on WWII Japanese American “resisters” opened Oct. 15. It concerns historic protests to the incarceration and their relevance to current events.
The slow pace at which I walked through its several rooms on two visits, taking photos throughout, says much about how much I was impressed. I was reminded that artists can do much to tell a complex story and make it approachable to the museum visitor who walks in from the street.
<a href=httpsencyclopediadenshoorgHenry Sugimoto target= blank rel=noopener>Henry Sugimoto<a> Reverend Yamasaki was beaten in Camp Jerome oil on canvas 1943 The Issei pastor had translated the loyalty questionnaire to Japanese at the request of the camp administration Perhaps the youth perceived him as a collaborator Courtesy of the Japanese American National Museum
The exhibit uses multiple modalities — historic photos, historical paintings and drawings (or good replicas thereof), artifacts, wall-mounted video, and modern artwork.
Whether you are new to the topic of JA incarceration or well versed in it, just go see the new exhibit, for what might be learned from it.
Kenji Ima I have a memory of going to Puyallup which was called Camp Harmony I remember sitting on my mothers lap It was scary shes not happy because she does not know whats going to happen And so her sense of fear affected me I dont know exactly when I first had the dream but the fear that I felt occurs in this dream I would wake up sweating I had this dream for years up to the age of ten or moreNa Omi Judy Shintani, “Dream Refuge for Children Imprisoned.” Mixed media, 2019. Photos: DY<a href=httpsencyclopediadenshoorgChiura Obata target= blank rel=noopener>Chiura Obata<a> Hatsuki sic Wakasa Shot by MP painting reproduction 1943 In April 1943 Wakasa was walking his dog near the fence at the Topaz Camp Utah when he was killed The event has been the subject of recent headlines as the monument erected onsite for Wakasa was recently excavated napostcom Sept Oct 2021
