Embedded Files
(Manzanar Street Scene, Ansel Adams, Library of Congress, 1943)
(Every photo on this page may not be featured in the exhibit. More photos on the bottom of this page.)
MAJOR EXHIBITON EXPLORES PERSPECTIVES ON
JAPANESE AMERICAN INCARCERATION DURING WORLD WAR II
For immediate release. October 5, 2016. Tucson, Arizona—The Tucson Desert Art Museum at 7000 East Tanque Verde Road, Tucson, Arizona opens Perspectives on Japanese American Incarceration in WWII, on November 5th. Three powerful exhibits explore the history and legacy of the forced incarceration of nearly 120,000 people of Japanese ancestry after the bombing of Pearl Harbor.
Many Japanese Americans were removed from their homes and incarcerated in Arizona.
Paul Kitagaki , Jr.’s GAMBATTE! Legacy of an Enduring Spirit: Triumphing Over Adversity, Japanese American WWII Reflections, Then and Now is the first body of work devoted to capturing the past and the present of Executive Order 9066 through photographs and oral histories. Through Kitagaki’s juxtaposition of historic images and contemporary portraits of the same individuals and their descendants, this exhibition will take its viewers on a visual exploration of the Japanese concept of Gambatte, or triumph over adversity.
Behind Barbed Wire: Japanese American Incarceration in Arizona examines the federal internment facilities for Japanese Americans in Arizona, including two on Native American Reservations, and two nearby in the Catalina and Dragoon Mountains. Photographs of Japanese American men and women who served in the American armed forces in World War II will also be on view.
Art of Circumstance: Art and Artifacts Created by Japanese Americans Incarcerated During WWII displays art created by Japanese Americans incarcerated during World War II, demonstrating their creative spirit in the face of their harsh circumstances. To highlight the concept of perseverance despite adversity, the Arizona Historical Society has loaned paintings created by artist Kakunen Tsuruoka during his confinement in the Poston War Relocation Center near Parker, Arizona.
A series of talks and community events will accompany the exhibitions, starting with “Baseball Behind the Barbed Wire”, on January 22nd at 1:30 pm. by noted Arizona sports historian Bill Staples Jr.
On February 18th, an all-day event in commemoration of the 75th anniversary of Executive Order 9066 will feature speakers, demonstrations of traditional Japanese arts, and Taiko ensemble drumming.
The commemorative event will be free with Museum admission.
Perspectives on Japanese American Incarceration exhibitions will debut with a “Sneak Peek” on November 4th from 5:00 pm to 7:30 pm. This special preview is free for Museum members and $7.00 for non-members at the door or in advance at the Museum. Perspectives on Japanese American Incarceration will run from November 5 through April 30, 2017. Museum admission is $10.00/adults, $8.00/seniors and $6.00/children.
Tucson Desert Art Museum presents thought-provoking exhibits that explore the art, history, and cultures of the Southwest and surrounding regions. The museum showcases a world-class permanent collection of Native American textiles, western art and artifacts, as well as national traveling exhibitions on loan. The 25,000 square foot facility includes exhibition areas, gallery, gift shop, auditorium and plenty of dedicated parking. The Museum offers guided tours of the permanent collection and special exhibitions for schools, seniors, and community groups. Information on exhibitions, events, and tours is available on the Museum’s website at tucsondart.org, or call us at 520-202-3888.
Tucson Desert Art Museum, 7000 East Tanque Verde Road, Tucson, Arizona 85715
(SW corner of Tanque Verde & Sabino Canyon), 520-202-3888, www.tucsonDART.org
(Photo by Sam Meyer, Poem by Margot Weaver Garcia)
(email: newsletter@uuctucson.org)
PHOTOS, AND PROSE TO SHARE
GOT ART ?
SEND US YOUR POEMS,
Quilts
In this traditional American craft,
The bits and pieces of fabric are sewn,
Creating patterns from the geometry,
Of squares, triangles, strips, also diamonds.
Some are in hues of red, orange, and beige,
Others in green, blue, white, and turquoise,
Today made of new cloth bought solely for it
In yesteryear made of sewing leftovers
And scraps traded with precious and dear friends.
Today a new quilt is perfect and fine,
Every color matched and corner sewn true,
Yet missing some family history.
I remember that dress, that blouse, and shirt,
The curtains that hung in the living room,
Is that a piece of your first pant suit?
There is a remnant of your daughter’s coat.
Looking at the covering on my bed,
I relive the passing of life’s days,
Of sewing, watching the children grow,
Creating the stories of our years.
People leaving Buddhist Church, Winter,
Manzanar Relocation Center, Ansel Adams, Library of Congress. 1943
The evacuation of the Japanese-Americans from West Coast areas under U.S. Army emergency order. Evacuees waiting with their luggage at the Old Santa Fe station for a train to Owens Valley. Russell Lee, Library of Congress, 1942.
Page updated
Google Sites
Report abuse