From the hand-drawn typeface on the cover of The Godfather to Herman Miller’s biomorphic coffee table, the work of Japanese American designers including Ruth Asawa, George Nakashima, Isamu Noguchi, S. Neil Fujita, and Gyo Obata permeated postwar culture. While these second generation Japanese American artists have been celebrated, less-discussed is how their World War II incarceration—a period of intense hardship and discrimination—had a powerful effect on their lives and art.
This documentary, a co-production between JANM’s Watase Media Arts Center and KCET for the series ARTBOUND, explores the ways in which their camp experiences impacted their lives, influenced their art, and sent them on trajectories that eventually led to their changing the face of American culture with their immense talents.
WATCH HERE: https://www.kcet.org/shows/artbound/episodes/masters-of-modern-design-the-art-of-the-japanese-american-experience