Tanforan Assembly Center (San Bruno, Calif.) Search this
Type:
Diaries
Sketchbooks
Drawings
Place of publication, production, or execution:
United States
Physical Description:
3.6 Linear feet
Arrangement:
The collection is arranged in 9 series. Series 1: Biographical Material, 1894-1898, 1935-circa 1975 (Box 1, OV 4; 0.2 linear feet) Series 2: Correspondence, 1925-1992 (Box 1; 0.4 linear feet) Series 3: Writings, 1924-circa 1964, circa 1986 (Box 1; 0.2 linear feet) Series 4: Professional Activities, 1913, 1924-1967 (Boxes 1-2, OV 4; 0.3 linear feet) Series 5: Exhibition Files, 1925-1951 (Box 2, OV4; 0.3 linear feet) Series 6: Printed Material, 1901-circa 1906, 1925-2000 (Box 2, OV 5; 0.8 linear feet) Series 7: Photographic Material, circa 1891-1969 (Box 3; 0.2 linear feet) Series 8: Artwork, 1917-circa 1945 (Box 3, OV 5; 0.2 linear feet) Series 9: Unprocessed Addition (Box 6; 1.0 linear feet)
Access Note / Rights:
This collection is open for research. Access to original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C. Research Center.
Summary:
The papers of Japanese-American artist and educator Chiura Obata measure 3.6 linear feet and date from circa 1891 to 2000 with the bulk of the material dating from 1942 to 1945. The collection contains biographical material primarily related to Obata's family's forced relocation from Berkeley to Tanforan detention center and incarceration at the Topaz Relocation center; correspondence with family, friends, and colleagues; writings by Chiura Obata and others; material related to the art schools Obata established at Tanforan and Topaz; teaching files and professional activities; exhibition files; printed material, including TREK , and Topaz Moon: Chiura Obata's Art of Internment ; photographic material; and sketches and sketchbooks. There is a 1.0 linear foot unprocessed addition to this collection donated in 2020 that includes correspondence, writings, subject files and printed material.
Citation:
Chiura Obata papers, 1891-2000, bulk 1942-1945. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Additional Forms:
The bulk of the collection was digitized in 2019 and is available on the Archives of American Art's website.
Funding:
Funding for the processing and digitization of this collection was provided by the Terra Foundation for American Art and the Roy Lichtenstein Foundation.
Use Note:
The Archives of American Art makes its archival collections available for non-commercial, educational and personal use unless restricted by copyright and/or donor restrictions, including but not limited to access and publication restrictions. AAA makes no representations concerning such rights and restrictions and it is the user's responsibility to determine whether rights or restrictions exist and to obtain any necessary permission to access, use, reproduce and publish the collections. Please refer to the Smithsonian's Terms of Use for additional information.
Biography Note:
Chiura Obata (1885-1975) was a Japanese-American artist and educator. Born Zoroku Sato in Okayama prefecture in Japan, Obata showed artistic talent early in life. He joined the artist group Nihon Bijutsuin (the Japan Art Institute) and apprenticed with Tanryo Murata. Obata also trained in Western and modern Japanese art.
Language Note:
The collection is in English and Japanese.
Provenance:
The Chiura Obata papers were donated to the Archives of American Art in 2018 and 2020 by Kimi Kodani Hill and Mia Kodani Brill, Chiura Obata's grandchildren.
Digitization Note:
This site provides access to the papers of Chiura Obata in the Archives of American Art that were digitized in 2020, and total 4,246 images.
Location Note:
Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution, 750 9th St. NW, Washington, D.C. 20001
