Author: Natania Reed
The Getty Center-sponsored Pacific Standard Time initiative, a collaboration between more than 60 art institutions across Southern California, celebrates the growth of Los Angeles’ art scene and its establishment as a center of artistic innovation between 1945 and 1980.
“Drawing the Line: Japanese American Art, Design & Activism in Post-War Los Angeles” examines the turbulent period for Japanese-Americans following World War II and the attempt to articulate a cultural identity through art. The exhibit, which opened on Oct. 15, is on display at the Japanese American National Museum (JANM) in Little Tokyo until Feb. 19.
Although the exhibit focuses on just a few artists during this time period, it captures a variety of artistic mediums and encapsulates a range of artistic sentiments, all while providing a glimpse into the Asian-American experience. From automobile designer Larry Shinoda to performance artist Linda Nishio, “Drawing the Line” encompasses a diverse selection of artistic visions.
One wall of the exhibition is lined with front covers of Gidra, a publication created in 1969 by UCLA students that served as the voice of the Asian-American movement during this time period. Gidra serves as a collegiate interpretation of art as a social and political initiative, and the display of Gidra magazine covers allows a glance into the issues that faced the Asian-American community, especially pertaining to matters of equality and social justice.
The exhibit also includes elements of theater, featuring costumes, pamphlets and other promotional materials from the first Asian-American musical “Chop Suey,” which premiered in the late seventies and told the struggle of a young Chinese-American girl.
Other pieces exhibit the prejudice towards Asian-Americans during the post-war period by highlighting their exclusion from Western society. Ben Sakoguchi created a collection of paintings, called the “Orange Crate Label” series (1974-1981) which utilized the classic crate label format to call attention to the hypocrisies of the American political state. The labels juxtapose the traditional American image of crate labels with disturbing images of war, segregation in the Black and Asian communities and the United States’ use of atomic weaponry. In one label, Sakoguchi created an homage to the famous flag raising Iwo Jima, but replaced the stars and stripes with an oil well tower, calling the brand of oranges “W.W. III Brand.”
Matsumi “Mike” Kanemitsu’s images on display at the exhibition also question the ethics of the United States during this time period. “Illustrations of Southern California” (1970) is a collection of lithographs that examine the history of Los Angeles from a critical perspective, looking at the decimation of the native population, the role of corporate interests in the city’s development, the incarceration of the Japanese during World War II and the Watts rebellion in 1965.
Robert A. Nakamura, a photojournalist whose work has been featured in LIFE, has an extensive collection of photography on display at the exhibit.
When he moved to Los Angeles in the late 1960’s he found himself in the middle of the Asian-American movement and utilized photography to further the political and cultural goals of the group.
“Cemetery Monument at Manzanar, California” (1969), a black and white photograph featured at the exhibit, is a thoughtful reflection on the devastating relocation and internment of over 100,000 Japanese American citizens in the early 1940’s. It shows a solitary white obelisk with Japanese characters in the barren, grassy landscape of Manzanar, California.
Social and political critique is an important function of art, and “Drawing the Line” does an excellent job of showcasing the tumultuous experience of Asian Americans post-World War II.
Though the selection of artists is small and the exhibition takes place in only three small rooms, the impact is strong and the message is incredibly valuable.
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