Japanese Americans arrive at Poston, Arizona in May of 1942. Photo by Fred Clark. Courtesy of the National Archives.

Curator Talk: Noguchi and Japanese American Internment During World War II

Saturday, November, 14, 2026, 1-2pm
Morse Auditorium
Free with preregistration

Discover a pivotal chapter in Isamu Noguchi’s life at the Peabody Essex Museum, where curator and scholar Christina Hiromi Hobbs explores the artist’s decision to voluntarily enter the Poston War Relocation Center in Arizona during World War II. Through this compelling talk, Hobbs examines Noguchi’s motivations, the impact of his incarceration on his life and work, and the broader artistic and historical context of Japanese American incarceration.

After the bombing of Pearl Harbor in 1941, more than 120,000 people of Japanese ancestry were incarcerated in internment camps created on U.S. soil. Many lived there for the duration of the war. Read more about their stories — and why their experiences still matter today — from the Densho documentation project and Poston Preservation.

Admission is free with preregistration—be sure to save your seat!

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