11/21/18
Art 263
Instructor: Doris Cacoilo
Internment camps artwork = Conversion Therapy camp
During World War two there were many problems that the world was facing during that time. Great Depression was starting to end and the Germans held Jewish people captive in their concentration camp. However, the one thing that seemed more unknown or not well known to the people during that time is the Internment Camp that the United States created for the Japanese American. The reason why the American created these camps is because of fear towards the Japanese and believed that they can cause a natural security for the country. Roger Shimomura painted three drawings describing the criticisms and the disgust that most Americans had towards the Japanese Americans. In these art it shows how this artist felt towards the injustice that many Japanese American went through during that time. In these projects it shows stereotype, hatred and mostly images of how the Japanese American were treated. These artwork can be related to the artwork of Tana Hargest. Some of Tana Hargest artwork talks about stereotype among the African American community. In the Interventionist and Encyclopedia it says, “The main reason for using these techniques is that they put people at ease. Rather than telling people exactly what I think, the art experience becomes a platform for a dialogue, even if it’s solely an internal dialogue” (89). Drawing and showing others can have a much more significant meaning to others. When looking at a picture or drawing, a person can tell the emotion that the artist applied to the artwork.
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| American Guardian is a powerful painting describing how the U.S Army monitored the Japanese Americans of these camps. However, the main messages of this painting is how the Japanese Americans were forced to go in these Internment Camp. Also, the artist is trying to show others how cruel and unjust the American are to other with a different ethnic background. Most of these people suffered in these Internment Camp (since there were multiple around the United States) due to the lack of food and clean water. Furthermore there weren’t any form of communication to the outside, which made a lot family member worried about their love ones outside of the camp. The one soldier in the painting is holding a rifle to monitor the Japanese Americans and to protect themselves for a future attack. |
Looking back at this, the United States still treats the minorities or lower class with disrespect. In the article, “Intervention: Anarchy & Encyclopedia” is discusses many artworks that are political. In one part of the reading it discusses how many commercials for companies trying to maintain their image to the public. The United States is no different since we are viewed as “The land of the free and home of the brave”, but in reality we have our fair share of injustice. In the novel it says, "This aim to rework social imagination has become all the more pressing and all the more prescient in light of the various social, economic and political pressures that have been lumped together under the label “globalization.” Maintaining the image of a great country is not an easy task since it filled with many dark a disturbing things that America has done. However, besides being tortured and having food Conversion Therapy Camp is similar to this painting because many victims were forced to go to these Conversion Therapy Camps. Most victims wouldn't be able to see their parents for many months or even years. Also, the victims weren’t able to communicate with their parents as well.
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Return Home is another powerful painting with a powerful message. In this painting it describes how American does not except the Japanese and the Japanese American in their country. The quote within the picture says the following “We beg Mom for yellow slices of cheese between white bread or peanut butter and jelly for school lunches.” In this quote it shows the stereotype towards the Japanese. The Japanese are constantly stereotyped as being yellow skin color. Also, the white bread symbolizes the Americans not accepting any other color, but white itself. |
Today we see something similar towards the minorities and the poor. If a person isn’t white and privileges, they wouldn’t get far in life. In the Intervention and Anarchy Encyclopedia there is an artist that took a picture of himself being homeless in front of the Trump Tower. In the article it says, “The Homeless Vehicle is a modified shopping cart which facilitates bottle and can collection as well as provide a temporary shelter. Wodiczko is not interested in producing surrogates for social service institutions. Instead, the project is meant to bring the issue of homelessness to public attention. (18)” Similar to this issue is the treatment of homosexuals in the United States and other countries. Since most countries don’t accept these people, religious group make up lies about them. For example, the stereotype of homosexual is being feminine and child molesters. Most religion group would say that homosexuality is a plague and should be kept away from children.
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| The Camp represents the Internment Camp that many Japanese Americans were forced to go. One of the thing that I notice from this drawing was the colors in the background. These colors creates the setting morning or the sun rising. Since the country of Japan is nickname the rising sun, the artist applied this to his drawing. Another description worth noting is the barbed wires, mountains and the child riding a bicycle in the background. This represents being imprisoned from the outside world. The quote that was given in this drawing states, “ Our American eye, blink in disbelief as barbed wire encircle and machine guns take aim.” The artist could mean that other would shoot or attack the Japanese Americans for no reason or to show their hatred toward the minorities. |
Similar to how their is police brutality in the United States and in other countries, we see the Japanese American as threat to our nation. That is why most people were afraid of them for time, believing that they could attack the United States at any time. The United States believed that they were doing the right thing in protecting their country. However, in many people eyes it this was an act of cruelty among the Japanese American. We can see this in today society, where many unfortunate African American gets brutalized by the police. The people believe that they are delivering justice, when in reality they just hurting others for no reason. In the “Seeing Power” Nato Thompson talks about how arts and media has a major impact on the world. One of the things that he talks about is the “Legitimation” or how real is a current situation. In this part Nato Thompson says, Legitimation, of course needn’t come only from The New York Times it can derive from something as simple as a person you trust”(69). This means that many things that are happening like stereotype or an imminent attack on the United States is true and people would believe it due to the trust of their country. Conversion Camps are similar since many religious group and secret organization force many homosexual to change their sexual orientation. As a result most are tortured physically and mentally for months. Most of the time there wouldn’t be any form of communication of the outside world.
Other Artwork
- This artwork shows the suffering of the Native Americans went through. During that time the Native Americans were sold as slaves by the colonist. Similar to how slavery affected the African Americans, the Natives were treated like animals. At the same time many of them where slaughtered by the colonist. In the painting it shows corpses that represent the death of many Native Americans. The two men on each side represents the leader of their people in some ways. The one on the left is General George Armstrong Custer, the generals that lead the army against the Native American people. The one on the right is Tonto a Native American warrior. The Rainbow above them represent freedom and light, while the dark shadow behind the general represent despair that can engulf this freedom the Native have.
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| American History:Going Global by Joyce Kozloff is an interesting work of art. At first glance this art is made out of cut outs from a magazine or from a picture book. These cut outs are scatter around the world map symbolizing sort of the world history (mostly war that occurred around the world). |
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| Self- Portrait as Sir Ernest Shackleton by Nina Katchadourian is a picture of a women cosplaying as a stoic explore Ernest Shackleton. However, the one thing that stand out withing this picture are the living caterpillar on her face. These caterpillars represents the mustache that Ernest Shackleton had. |
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