Arts Culture & Entertainment March 2, 2015 THE ASIAN REPORTER n Page 11 Roger Shimomura: An American original By Kate Hubbard The Asian Reporter collection of prints and paintings by Roger Shimomura is currently on display at the Hallie Ford Museum of Art on the Willamette University campus in Salem, Oregon. There’s majestic power in Shimomura’s work. He utilizes the bold color, simple lines, and classic superhero imagery of comic books and pop art in his pieces, then completely hijacks the styles for his own statements. And what statements they are. Shimomura’s history is bitter- sweet. He’s a successful artist, writer, and retired university professor. He’s also a Japanese American who was one of more than 120,000 people who were incarcerated during World War II. His time spent in the camps had a profound effect on his life and perspective, and it comes through vividly in his art. The pieces on view range from the 1970s to current works — and they’re intense. When reached last month for comment, Shimo- mura was emphatic in describing the art and the process of making it as not therapeutic. The pieces are certainly not a collection of bucolic pastoral scenes. This is art that challenges and entertains while presenting a stunning, haunting visual that directly confronts racial inequal- ity and the marginalization of Asian Americans. Shimomura gets up close and personal with his experiences of racism, as it didn’t end with A World War II. He has felt it as an Asian American in middle Amer- ica and it’s something he still experiences in a first-world country in the 21st century. As illustrated extraordinarily in his work, sometimes racism appears in the unthinking and cruel learned behavior of children, or the ignorance of adults, who have perhaps never thought about their actions. The primary focus of the exhi- bit is an American man seeking equal access to the American Dream, and not just as “An American Knockoff.” The paint- ings show Shimomura battling various aspects of the barriers he’s faced: From the outright hatred and overt racism during World War II — when the guns guarding the Minidoka War Relo- cation Center were all pointing inward — to the unfair status quo, microaggression, and racism still perpetuated in U.S. culture. Using the dreamy glory style of comic books, Shimomura shows himself battling stereotypes, or, in tongue-in-cheek fashion, be- coming those very stereotypes. The images on display are powerful. Shimomura is fighting to be seen and valued for who he is as well as for the values and dreams he brings to the American melting pot. For those who grew up with images of Disney characters, comic books, and classic cartoons, viewing the artwork is like seeing ART FOR AWARENESS. A collection of prints and paintings by Roger Shimomura is currently on display at the Hallie Ford Museum of Art on the Willamette University cam- pus in Salem, Oregon. “Roger Shimomura: An American Knockoff” is on view through March 29. Pictured are “American vs. Disney” (left photo, 2010, 54” x 54”, acrylic on canvas) and “American Infamy #5” (2010, 72” x 145”, acrylic on canvas). (Images courtesy of the artist) friends in an unfamiliar setting. past the anger, the bitterness, the There’s battle and conflict with frustration? And once a way to Shimomura as the protagonist. deal with it is found, must one He is fighting Disney characters, speak out about it and try to raise Popeye (and winning), and even awareness? Bruce Lee. He often appears as a Shimomura’s skills and strong, powerful hero, which in experiences have been molded mainstream American society into a compelling body of work is sadly an uncommon view of that presents race in a very Asian-American men. different way. It says a lot about a Minidoka also makes haunting person’s strength of character appearances in Shimomura’s when they have been wounded paintings and prints, with raw and battle-scarred, yet still have and candid snapshots of life faith in the American Dream. behind barbed wire. As beautiful Shimomura uses humor, irony, as his works are, they are not and cleverness to address the always easy to look at. issues and affect social change. What truly makes Shimo- “Roger Shimomura: An mura’s paintings spectacular is American Knockoff” is on view the pithy, biting social commen- through March 29 at the Hallie tary. Really, how does one Ford Museum of Art, located at recover after being completely 700 State Street in Salem, Ore- wronged — as so many Japanese gon. To learn more, call (503) 370- Americans were during World 6855 or visit . 2014 Most Honored Elder Award Recipient Sivheng Pao AR Photo/Jin Huang Sivheng Pao was born May 15, 1940 in Kompong Cham, Cambodia, one of 10 children in the family. She married her husband, Pea Ith, a former government official with the Depart- ment of Justice, at a young age and they had six children — Sovy, Sochenda, Sokanchana, Somony, Sophal, and Sovimol. Under the Khmer Rouge regime from 1975 to 1979, she and her family endured extreme hardship through forced labor, starvation, and living under the threat of death. Remarkably, her husband and children all survived the ordeal. Pea passed away in 1993, and in 2002, Sivheng immigrated to Oregon to live with her daughter Sochenda and two of her 14 grandchildren. In 2008, Sovy later joined Sivheng and Sochenda in Oregon; the rest of the family still resides in Cambodia. Sivheng is a member of the Cambodian Buddhist temple in West Linn, Oregon and is a strong supporter of the Cambodian-American Community of Oregon. She often volunteers to cook for the community and offers financial support. She also gives back to her homeland by supporting the Golden Leaf Education Foundation (GLEF). In addition, she has two great-grandchildren. The Asian Reporter is published on the first & third Monday each month. News page advertising deadlines for our next two issues are: March 16 to April 5, 2015 edition: Space reservations due: Wednesday, March 11 at 1:00pm Artwork due: Thursday, March 12 at 1:00pm April 6 to 19, 2015 edition: Space reservations due: Wednesday, April 1 at 1:00pm Artwork due: Thursday, April 2 at 1:00pm The Asian Reporter Foundation is accepting nominations for its 2015 “Most Honored Elder” awards. The recognition banquet will be held Thursday, April 23, 2015 at northeast Portland’s TAO Event Center. Nomination forms and guidelines for eligibility are available for download at . The nomination deadline is Wednesday, March 25, 2015 at 5:00pm.