2008.32.5

(line up for mess hall, Tanforan Assembly Center, San Bruno, California)
1942
14.25 in HIGH x 18.75 in WIDE
(36.19 cm HIGH x 47.62 cm WIDE)
Gift of the Estate of the artist
2008.32.5

mat~acidic
"(Citizen 13660) page 38 The Grandstand mess hall served 8,000 people" - written in blue ballpoint pen on verso along bottom edge. Oakland Museum exhibition label on verso, TR containing typewritten version of written info.
TOM, "Mine Okubo: An American Experience," 1972.OMCA, Gallery of California Art, Open Space 1, "Min_ Okubo: Citizen 13660," May 1 - Aug. 1, 2010.

Black ink drawing on paper contains an image of many people standing outside in lines. The line of people nearest to the viewer appears in the foreground along the lower half of the composition leading into a building at right and extending into the distance at upper left. Two other lines of people are visible in the distance at top center. The people are wearing heavy coats and a woman is visible hugging her arms across her chest at bottom center.

"By this time it was four o'clock and suppertime in camp. We rushed back to the huge grandstand. The ground flood served as the mess hall for the 5,000 evacuees then in the center; later it would serve 8,000. When we arrived, four lines, each a block long, waited outside the mess-hall doors. It was very windy and cold. An hour passed and we finally reached the door only to learn that the line did not lead anywhere. The thought of starting over again left us when we say the length of the other lines. We decided to crowd ourselves in, as so many others were trying to do, but it was impossible. Everyone was hugging the person ahead. Fortunately we discovered a friend who made room for us. People glared at us as we squeezed into line." (See p. 38, Citizen 13660 for variation of work)

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