OPENING TOMORROW : Crossings: 10 Views of camp exhibit opens at Japanese American National Museum -

That’s a portrait of Lincoln done in a concentration camp during WW2. No, it’s not Nazi shit, this is in the USA. Japanese Americans during WW2 were stuck in barracks in the middle of the desert in 11 different locations. The art being done about it, has been beat to death. So here’s a Fresh take. Blend new artists with the old artists, and show some work that has never seen the light of day. Yes, it’s another “Camp” exhibition, but it’s more current and thought provoking. There, I said it. On the above painting, the artists painted a Lincoln on a rice bag stretched out like canvas. That alone is worth the price of admission. Below is another painting. Imagine the son got painted after Lincoln since the Lincoln portrait is behind him. JANM

I’m glad people had burlap bags so paintings got made.

These drawings are really cool. If they were done more today, I could see these in art shows around the country. It’s a bit Picasso, but it’s still cool.

The video version of Giant Robot 7. That’s Michael Louie skating Manzanar’s giant empty pool with the skateboards with the giant wheels.

This is a nice image. It’s rad that Renee Tajima Pena made this film years ago, and it’s cool that it’s part of this exhibition.

These are awesome old painting. Imagine if someone started buying up all of the art done while in the camps. Do you think it would make a comprehensive collection that would one day be worth as much money as other art made during certain times?

I hope people would care, but in reality, it’ll be worth whatever someone’s willing to pay for it, and it might be best in the hands of JANM.

Shizu Saldamando

The skateboard used in the video may end up behind glass at the JANM.