For Immediate Release: December 21, 2006
Contact: Sherri Eng (415) 557-4282
seng@sfpl.org
In January, the Main Library will feature two new exhibitions—one honoring Japanese American internees and the other showcasing the work of illustrator David Diaz—an afternoon reading with African American writer Ntozake Shange, and a celebration of writers who died in 2006.
The stories of 15 local Japanese Americans whose lives were impacted by the internment of Japanese
American citizens in camps during World War II will be shared in an exhibition on display Jan. 13–March 18 in the Skylight Gallery. If They Came For Me Today: The Japanese American Internment Project is a powerful multimedia living history exhibition organized by Community Works with students from George Washington and Balboa high schools and Horace Mann Middle School in San Francisco. Drawing on the oral histories of Japanese Americans who were themselves interned or whose parents were internees, the students worked to create a unique exhibition that simultaneously chronicles the experiences of one generation and the reactions of another. After hearing the stories of the 15 men and women affected by the internment, the students produced written, visual and video art relating interviewees’ stories to their own personal experiences and to contemporary instances of civil injustice. Their work is featured in the exhibition, along with suitcases full of artifacts from detainees, photographs and biographies of the honorees. Materials from the Library’s San Francisco History Center’s archives will also be on display.
The Library will host an opening program at 2 p.m. on Jan. 20 in the Koret Auditorium, which will include presentations by the students who worked on the project, as well as commentary by public defender Jeff Adachi; playwright Philip Kan Gotanda; and poet Janice Mirikatani.
Caldecott Medal winner David Diaz’s bold, vibrant artwork will be on display Jan. 20–April 1 in the Jewett Gallery. The Many Faces of David Diaz exhibition showcases 54 of Diaz’s original works of art which appeared in 15 children’s books. Diaz is known for his use of bold, layered images in contrasting styles, as well as his commitment to social justice and a willingness to tackle challenging topics. Even though some of his books deal with social issues fraught with controversy, Diaz always seeks to illustrate books that offer hope. The exhibition text will be presented in both English and Spanish. The books for which the original artwork was created will also be on display, as well as two pieces of pottery, one created by Diaz and the other by Juan Quezada, a famous potter from Mata Ortiz, Mexico who is featured in The Pot That Juan Built.
On Jan. 28, Diaz will officially open the exhibition and talk about his work and life as an illustrator during a presentation and book signing for children and families at 2 p.m. in the Koret Auditorium.
African American playwright, performance artist, and writer Ntozake Shange, along with her friends and family, will present an afternoon of readings by the award-winning author, 4 p.m.–5:15 p.m. (CALENDAR EDITORS: PLEASE NOTE TIME CHANGE) on Jan. 13 in the Koret Auditorium . Shange is best-known for her Obie Award-winning play, For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow is Enuf. She also wrote Betsey Brown, a novel about an African American girl who runs away from home. Among her honors and awards are fellowships from the Guggenheim Foundation and the Lila Wallace-Reader's Digest Fund, and a Pushcart Prize.
Friends of the San Francisco Public Library and the San Francisco Public Library present Writers Remembered 2007: A celebration of the authors, poets and journalists who died in 2006, 1–4 p.m. on Jan. 27 in the Koret Auditorium. Friends, colleagues and admirers will gather to honor and celebrate the creative minds that left us in 2006. Poets Jewelle Gomez and Gerry Nicosia will emcee the free-form event, as participants reminisce, revel and read from the works of those who have departed.
The events and exhibitions are free and open to the public. For more information, please call (415) 557-4277.
