Barnes Foundation Opens Japanese American Art Exhibition
The exhibition showcases 84 works by six influential Japanese American artists in Philadelphia.
Updated on Oct. 29, 2026 in Fine Art
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The Barnes Foundation is hosting a new exhibition titled Noguchi to Asawa: Designing Postwar America. It features 84 works created by six prominent Japanese American artists.
Why it matters
The collection explores themes of displacement, resilience, and adaptation following the incarceration of Japanese Americans during World War II. It highlights how these artists shaped the American built environment and visual culture during the mid-20th century.
The exhibition displays 84 total works organized into six distinct sections. It features the creative contributions of six individual Japanese American artists.
The players
The Barnes Foundation
This Philadelphia-based art institution is internationally renowned for its unique collection of impressionist, post-impressionist, and modern paintings.
Isamu Noguchi
He was a prominent 20th-century American artist and landscape architect known for his sculpture and public projects.
George Nakashima
A master woodworker and furniture maker, he was a key figure in the American craft movement who established his workshop in New Hope.
Neil Fujita
He was an influential graphic designer celebrated for creating iconic jazz album covers and the original poster art for The Godfather.
Ruth Asawa
She was a prolific American sculptor best known for her signature intricate wire sculptures and her advocacy for arts education.
The details
The show highlights the diverse range of works created by Isamu Noguchi, George Nakashima, Leo Amino, Kay Sekimachi, Ruth Asawa, and Neil Fujita. The display includes a Minor Arts segment and features notable items like Noguchi's My Arizona, while chronicling how figures like Nakashima relocated from incarceration sites in Minidoka, Idaho, to New Hope, Pennsylvania.
Timeline
World War II saw the initial displacement and incarceration of the featured artists.
The artists significantly influenced the American built environment during the mid-20th century.
The exhibition remains open at the Barnes Foundation through Jan. 10, 2027.
Industry Dynamics
This exhibition follows the pattern set by efforts to reclaim the historical narrative of those impacted by the forced incarceration of Japanese Americans during World War II. It marks a departure from traditional institutional focuses by centering the resilience and adaptation of these artists within the broader canon of American design.
Local residents and visitors can view the exhibition at the Barnes Foundation in Philadelphia throughout the duration of the show. The 84 works are presented in six sections, providing a comprehensive look at how these artists influenced the American landscape.
The takeaway
This exhibition demonstrates how experiences of displacement can fuel profound creative resilience and innovation. Visitors can reflect on how the personal histories of these six artists contributed to the distinct visual identity of postwar America.
Further reading
Learn more about local cultural events on the Philadelphia Fine Art page.
Source note: This article includes information reported by 102.9 WMGK.
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