CCA@CCA Symposium

Event Description:

This symposium addresses the role of art as a witness during times of oppression by focusing on the paintings of Japanese artist Chikaji Kawakami, who created art to document his life and elevate his spirits while incarcerated at internment camps at Tanforan and Topaz during WWII. Artworks by both Kawakami and the influential Japanese-American artist Chiura Obata are featured in the accompanying exhibition, Under the Guard Tower: The Watercolors of Chikaji Kawakami, at California College of the Arts’ Campus Gallery from April 1–May 15, 2026. Organized by CCA@CCA Faculty Coordinator Lydia Nakashima Degarrod.