SFMOMA Chiura Obata Exhibit Captures “Grand Nature” of California

Chiura Obata had a promising career when he left Japan for California in 1903. But the pull of this new country was compelling. A long-time arts professor at Berkeley, Obata was a leading figure of the Northern California arts community. His watercolor and ink paintings of the natural world, including vistas of the Sierras and Yosemite, as well as finely wrought and closely observed paintings of flowers, fish and fauna brought him acclaim. But the art schools he opened while incarcerated in concentration camps at Topaz and Tanforan in World War II made him beloved. Reflecting on his career, Obata wrote, “I dedicate my paintings, first, to the grand nature of California, which, over the long years, in sad as well as in delightful times, has always given me great lessons, comfort, and nourishment. Second, to the people who share the same thoughts, as though drawing water from one river under one tree.” We’ll talk about a current exhibit of his work at the SFMOMA with Obata experts, including his granddaughter.