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 <www.willamette.
War II? How can people move edu/arts/hfma>.
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
<www.ARFoundation.net>.
The nomination deadline is
Wednesday, March 25, 2015 at 5:00pm.