This one-day symposium brings together scholars, curators, and artists to explore the creation, interpretation, and presentation of Japanese American art. Focusing on the influential works of acclaimed Nikkei artists Isamu Noguchi and Chiura Obata, the event examines how their artistic visions were shaped by the spatial and historical contexts of the 20th century, including the profound impact of wartime incarceration.
The symposium also considers the broader landscape of Nikkei art—its development within arts collectives, community museums, and major contemporary art institutions. Presenters will offer insights into the politics of curating and making Japanese American art in the decades following World War II.
Image: Chiura Obata, Full Moon, Pasadena 1930. The Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens. Gift of the Obata Family
