A collage of six book covers depicting themes of art, identity, and culture. Each cover features unique artwork reflecting diverse styles and emotions.

Feb 22, 2024 12 Books for UMFA’s Pictures of Belonging Exhibition

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The new exhibition Pictures of Belonging opens at the Utah Museum of Fine Arts on Saturday, February 24, 2024. As part of the exhibition, curator Virginia Catherall and Librarian Allyson Mower teamed up to select several books—ranging from graphic novels to academic titles to children’s books—to display as part of the exhibition. They are listed here and are also available for checkout and on display at Marriott Library.

Compiled by Librarian Allyson Mower.

There will be a special virtual event with associate curator Emily Lawhead and Librarian Allyson Mower to talk about Miné Okubo’s graphic novel Citizen 13660 on Monday, March 18 at 10 am Register for the virtual event here.

Books by or about the artists:

Illustrated book cover of "Citizen 13660" by Miné Okubo. Features a stylized portrait of a woman against a bold red background, conveying a serious tone.

Citizen 13660, artist edition
(Univ of Washington Press, 2014)

Cover of "Miné Okubo: Following Her Own Road," featuring a woman in a red coat holding a purple umbrella. Black and white windowpane background.

Miné Okubo: Following Her Own Road
by Elena Tajima Creef and Greg Robinson

A powerful painting shows a muscular man carrying another, surrounded by workers and an industrial backdrop. Text reads "The Other American Moderns."

The Other American Moderns: Matsura, Ishigaki, Noda, Hayakawa
by ShiPu Wang

Cover of "Peaceful Painter Hisako Hibi: Memoirs of an Issei Woman Artist." It features a touching painting of two children, highlighting warmth and care.

Peaceful Painter: Memoirs of an Issei Woman Artist
by Hisako Hibi & Ibuki Lee

Books about the broader subject area (internment, Asian American female artists):

Cover of "Only What We Could Carry" features a historic photo of a child in front of internment camp barracks, conveying resilience and somberness.

Only What We Could Carry: The Japanese American Internment Experience
edited by Lawson Inada with intro by Patricia Wakida

Book cover of "Gasa Gasa Girl Goes to Camp" features white barbed wire on a black background with red text. The tone is historical and somber.

Gasa Gasa Girl Goes to Camp: A Nisei Youth Behind A World War II Fence
by Lily Yuriko Nakai Havey

Black and white photo of young girls in plaid coats, hands over hearts, singing. Title reads "Imaging Japanese America." Somber, historical tone.

Imaging Japanese America: The Visual Construction of Citizenship, Nation, and the Body
by Creef, Elena Tajima

Cover image of "The Art of Gaman" by Delphine Hirasuna showing artwork from Japanese American internment camps. Features floral patterns and camp buildings against a mountain backdrop.

The Art of Gaman: Arts and Crafts from the Japanese American Internment Camps 1942-1946
by Hirasuna, Delphine

Sculpted head with closed eyes in earthen tones on "Cheers to Muses" cover. Text reads "Contemporary Works by Asian American Women." Abstract and contemplative.

Cheers to Muses: Contemporary Works by Asian American Women,
edited by Asian American Women Artists Association

Children and YA Books:

Cover of "A Place Where Sunflowers Grow" shows a girl in a green plaid dress kneeling on the ground with a red origami hat, set against a faded background with a fence, watchtower, and a small building. The tone is nostalgic and gentle.

A Place Where Sunflowers Grow
by Amy Lee-Tai

Book cover of "Journey to Topaz" by Yoshiko Uchida. A monochrome sketch depicts a tender embrace between a man and a child, conveying warmth and care.

Journey to Topaz: A Story of the Japanese-American Evacuation
by Uchida Yoshiko

Cover of "The Children of Topaz" by Michael O. Tunnell and George W. Chilcoat. Features faded images of children, a Japanese flag, and internment camp huts. Tone is somber.

The Children of Topaz: The Story of a Japanese Internment Camp Based on a Classroom Diary
by George Chilcoat

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