In a fascinating collection of paintings and lithographs that meld pop art with a derivation of ukiyo-e prints, Roger Shimomura depicts snatches of memories from the years he was incarcerated in a World War II concentration camp.
Minidoka On My Mind sharply addresses sociopolitical issues of ethnicity and discrimination, taking visitors head-on into the racial conflicts of World War II and the unjust imprisonment of an estimated 120,000 Japanese Americans. With this exhibition, Shimomura is determined to never let us forget one of the ugliest events in American history.
This exhibition also provides the foundation for the Museum’s Art Rewards The Student (A.R.T.S.) program. Since January, 4th- and 5th-grade Sonoma Valley students have been learning about this period in history, the work of Roger Shimomura and the arts and crafts created by those living in the Camps. An exhibition of the students’ work will open to the public on May 17.