Masters of Modern Design: Art of the Japanese American Experience

From the hand-drawn typeface on the book cover of The Godfather to Herman Miller’s biomorphic coffee table, the work of Japanese American artists/designers including Ruth Asawa, George Nakashima, Isamu Noguchi, S. Neil Fujita, and Gyo Obata permeated American postwar culture. While these second generation Japanese American artists have been celebrated, less-discussed is the powerful effect their World War II incarceration—a period of intense hardship and discrimination—had 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 existence, influenced their art, and sent them on trajectories that eventually led to their changing the face of American culture with their immense talents.

This film was awarded a Los Angeles area Emmy for the Arts.