Closing

The Traveling Topaz Exhibit has finally come to an end. Thanks to all who helped make the exhibit possible and thanks to all of you who attended and participated in the activities. This has been an important exhibit for everyone involved. We hope you were touched by the sincerity and sensitivity of the artwork created by the talented artists interned at Topaz. Their work was important and remains important today as we honor all artists, their vision and their honesty.

Photo Journalism exhibit at the San Bruno Station

Did you see the exhibit at the BART/San Bruno Station in May? If not, here is a little video about it. If you missed it, you can still check out the Topaz: Artists in Internment exhibit at the San Francisco Library through the end of June!

The Topaz Exhibit has hit San Francisco

Last week our team brought the Artists in Internment exhibit from San Leandro Library to the San Francisco Library.

To the left is Joan Jasper, inspecting the pieces and filling out the condition reports.

Check back for images of the installed exhibit and other events at the library!

A visit from John Takeuchi

Here we have John Takeuchi speaking at the San Leandro Library in conjunction with the Topaz exhibit. Takeuchi created the film about Mine Okubo that we posted earlier in March. You can see he brought some of his own paintings by Mine Okubo to show the audience. The exhibit goes down in about a week and then it's on its way to San Francisco!

Topaz Museum gets $714K Grant!

As reported in the Salt Lake Tribune, this morning, the Topaz Museum, located in Delta, Utah will receive $714,000 in funding to to help preserve and interpret the Topaz internment camp. Interior Secretary Ken Salazar announced the funding Thursday. "If we are to tell the full story of America, we must ensure that we include difficult chapters such as the grave injustice of internment of Japanese Americans during World War II," Salazar said in a news release. "The internment sites serve as poignant reminders for us — and for the generations to come — that we must always be vigilant in upholding civil liberties for all."

A big congratulations to all the efforts of those at the Topaz Museum who passionately pursue the preservation of this important site!

 To read about the design plans for this Museum, visit their website.

Visits

San Leandro is hosting all sorts of groups for the Topaz exhibit this month. First is "Extending Connections in Alameda" a senior group that came in last week. Last week they hosted their first elementary school visit. These are a few of many groups that are taking advantage of the great information and beautiful artwork provided by the artists that were interned at Topaz.

Opening Reception in San Leandro

Remembering

 

The San Leandro Library is having a great time with the Topaz Exhibit. The following pictures are from Lawson's visit to the Eden Japanese Community senior group on Thursday, February 23. It was a fabulous event and everyone loved Lawson...how could you not. :)

Special thanks to Addie Silveira for providing the pictures.

Destination: San Leandro

The Topaz Exhibit has landed in San Leandro. Our capable visual arts team at the Rio boxed up the artwork, packed the truck and sent it on it's way. It arrived on Valentines Day and was installed the next morning. If you're in the area, the exhibit is a must see. Here's a preview:

Remembering...

What you see is an 88 year-old Japanese American and her grandchildren. She was sent to Topaz when she was 18 where she stayed for 5 years. She taught third grade at the camp. She saw this painting in the exhibit and told her that was the view outside her classroom where she taught. She saw that man walking away right before he was shot.

The show has one more week in Salt Lake City before we take it to California. Come see it while you can!

Plan-B's BLOCK 8

This Saturday night at the Salt Lake Buddhist Temple!

 Matthew Ivan Bennett’s BLOCK 8 was commissioned by and received its world premiere at Plan-B Theatre Company in 2009 featuring Anita Booher (Ada) and Bryan Kido (Ken), directed by Jerry Rapier.

Special thanks to Jean Tokuda Irwin, Sensei Hirano, Ernie Kyed, Dot Richeda, the Salt Lake Buddhist Temple and Lawson Inada.


NOTE: Good news for those who have a reservation/ticket. There is additional free parking at the Salt Palace. Enter from the 200 South entrance and tell them you are going to the Buddhist Temple.

Short Poem for Friday

Below is Lawson Inada reciting one of his poems.

 

Opening Night

Last Friday the Rio Gallery hosted the inaugural  exhibit for Topaz: Artists in Internment. It was a successful showing despite the competition with the opening of the Sundance Film Festival in Salt Lake City. Thanks to all who made this opening possible. Thanks to poet Lawson Inada who attracted quite the audience with his storytelling as part of the event. And a special thanks to all those who participated in the Jan Ken poems. Below are some pictures of the event:

Jan Ken Po-ems at the Topaz Exhibit

We want your thoughts and responses to the artwork created by artists, no longer alive, who visually recorded their lives behind a barbed-wire fence.

Come to the Rio Gallery tonight and throughout the Topaz exhibit's run (through February 10) and add your words. Begin with one of the pieces of paper provided at the front of the gallery. Each paper has three words written on it. Your words can come before one of the words or after. You may cross one out and add another to the list. You choose. If you wish, just begin with a blank piece of paper and write a Jan Ken Po-em.

In Japan, Shinto temples and, often, trees and bushes are places where individuals may leave a paper prayer. In our version, your poem may be a poem, a wish, a dream or a prayer.

Please post on the wall and read the thoughts others have left before you.

Topaz is UP at the Rio Gallery

Topaz: Artists in Internment is officially open at the Rio Gallery in Salt Lake City. The exhibit runs through February 10. The public reception will be this Friday, January 20th from 6-9 PM in conjunction with the Salt Lake Gallery Stroll, but it doesn't end there. A series of special activities are being held in conjunction with the exhibit.


Please note these dates if you are interested in attending any of the following events.

Jan. 19, 7:00 PM

Merrill-Cazier Library, Room 101

Utah State University, Logan

A reading and discussion will be held with former Oregon poet laureate Lawson Inada who was interned with his parents in camps in Fresno, Arkansas and Colorado. 

Jan. 20, 6:00 PM – 9:00 PM

Rio Gallery

300 S Rio Grande St, Salt Lake City

The opening reception will include a screening of the short documentary Days of Waiting, a reading by poet Lawson Inada, recognition of survivors and descendants of the internment and an ikebana arrangement by Theresa Sueoka. Days of Waiting is about the experience of Estelle Peck Ishigo, a Caucasian woman who followed her husband into internment. This Steven Okazaki film received an Oscar for best documentary short subject. 

Feb. 3, 7:00 PM

Utah Museum of Contemporary Art

20 S West Temple, Salt Lake City

A screening of the documentary Unfinished Business, also by Okazaki and a best documentary feature Oscar nominee. It will be followed by a panel discussion with Lawson Inada and civil rights activist Mark Alvarez. Unfinished Business is about three young Japanese Americans who refused to obey Executive Order 9066, the Wartime Relocation Act. 

Feb. 4, 4:00 PM

Utah Museum of Contemporary Art

20 S West Temple, Salt Lake City

A screening will be held of American Pastime, a fictional account of the establishment of a baseball league in an internment camp based on the in-camp league started by Chiura Obata, who also founded the art school at Topaz. 

Feb. 4, 7:00 PM

Salt Lake Buddhist Temple

211 W 100 S, Salt Lake City

Plan-B will perform a reading of BLOCK 8, an original play about a young Japanese man struggling with the decision to enlist in the military to prove his loyalty to America and who befriends a librarian at Topaz whose son is fighting overseas. The production enjoyed a sold-out, world-premiere run at Plan-B in 2009 in conjunction with Day of Remembrance events. The reading features the original cast of Anita Booher (Ada) and Bryan Kido (Ken) directed by Jerry Rapier. The production will be followed by a post-show discussion with the cast, director, playwright Matthew Ivan Bennett and poet Lawson Inada. Online reservations are encouraged for the reading of BLOCK 8 and can be made by clicking Script-In-Hand Series at planbtheatre.org. 

The special events are free and open to the public. Stay tuned for additional events, updates and opportunities to join the conversation!