Visual Memories: Japanese-American Internment Survivors and Art Therapy
by Janice Hoshino
Visual Memories: Internment Survivors and Art Therapy is a documentary following six individuals who had been sent to internment camps during World War II and what they recall of these experiences while making art.
Six elderly Japanese-Americans who had been sent to internment camps participated in art making to explore if image making would enhance their personal historical narrative. Image making coupled with their personal experiences, examined what memories were most significant across the participants. Listening to their recollections along with viewing their creations the viewer is enabled to realize what a traumatic experience the internment was for them, and to witness their inspiring capacity to recall it.
In Depth
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Six elderly Japanese-Americans who had been sent to internment camps participated in art making to explore if image making would enhance their personal historical narrative. Image making coupled with their personal experiences, examined what memories were most significant across the participants. Listening to their recollections along with viewing their creations the viewer is enabled to realize what a traumatic experience the internment was for them, and to witness their inspiring capacity to recall it.

Many Americans are unaware of the gross injustice perpetrated on this population, and many who were interned remained silent afterwards.

From the participants' honesty and frank statements, it appears that these articulate survivors, while deeply affected by what happened to them, have been able to go on with living their lives in the present without denying the painful truth of the past.

This video was formerly included in the Expressive Media Arts Therapies Films Collection distributed by Expressive Media Inc. 

Length of video: 0:49:00

English subtitles available

Group ISBN-10 #: 1-60124-707-9

Group ISBN-13 #: 978-1-60124-707-0

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