Title:
Topaz Farm Products
Creator/Contributor:
Hibi, Hisako
Date:
9/1/1944
Identifier:
96.601.43
Format:
painting
oil on canvas
Description:
Unframed stretched canvas. Image of still life of squash and melon. The colors are yellow, green and gray.
Historical note:
This painting is another still life work done by Hisako Hibi in which she featured the vegetables grown by the Topaz Agricultural
Department. Unlike most of her other still life paintings of this period, here Hibi does not include any flowers in the arrangement.
Situated on a tray, a grouping of green melons and corn are punctuated by bright yellow squash. As in her other still life
paintings Hibi seems to be experimenting with a compositional style inspired by Cezanne. The tray seems to be tipping upwards
so that the vegetables appear to be about to slide off the table. Hibi had a deep appreciation for these vegetables and the
work of the Agricultural Department. Such vegetables helped supplement the often mediocre meals offered in Topaz. The ability
to incorporate these items into their diet allowed internees to assert a sense of control over their camp conditions. Over
and again Hibi reiterated her acknowledgement of the importance of this seemingly benign contribution to the community of
internees.
Subject:
Concentration Camps, Topaz | still life | melon | squash | table