Please contact the contributing institution for more information regarding the copyright status of this object.
Description
Unframed stretched canvas. Image of two people, a woman and girl, praying in a field with a mountain and guard tower in the background. The colors are gray, brown and green. The desert location of the Topaz concentration camp meant that the landscape had little vegetation. Among the only kinds of plants that the alkaline soil could sustain was greasewood, a small gray shrub. In this painting Hisako Hibi portrays a woman and a girl standing in a green field. It appears rather lush in comparison to the written descriptions of Topaz. Clearly it is meant to be a scene within camp because of the barbed wire fence discernible in the distance. Also visible is a small red square on the fence. Although it is too far for the viewer to read the sign, we know from historical documentation that it is a warning to internees to stay away from the edge of the perimeter. Although diminished in size, the inclusion of the sign in the painting is significant. At Topaz in particular, the barbed wire fence became a point of tension when one resident was shot and killed for walking too close to the fence. Hibi paints this woman and girl facing the mountain range, looking beyond the fence and sign. In the inscription on the painting Hibi writes that the prayer was for "relatives, friends, the young men in the battle ground front." Thus, despite the subtlety of the painting and the lush field, the sentiment behind this work is a sober one.
If you're wondering about permissions and what you can do with this item, a good starting point is the "rights information" on this page. See our terms of use for more tips.
Share your story
Has Calisphere helped you advance your research, complete a project, or find something meaningful? We'd love to hear about it; please send us a message.
