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MA: Well, it seems like there was great interest in your collection, and even... I was hoping you could talk about your collection when it was shown in Hiroshima, and that experience for you.

CQ: Well, it's the same thing each time I've had my show. I've had a lot of great comments, and a lot of people that were very, very interested when they finally found out what it was about. And the people who bought my work at my first show, of course, a lot of paintings sold. But the people from Hawaii who bought the one large painting that, you know, camp, the sky was, in camp, the sky was the most beautiful thing to me. The fellow said, "Oh, when I was in summer camp, the sky was so beautiful also." And when I told him what it was about, he says, "Oh, but the sky is so beautiful." And he says, "Your paintings have such bright colors and they seem so happy, of such a sad time." And I said, "That's because I've always seen in color. And I paint, I'm a color painter."

And so after the show, when the Japanese American, I mean, the Japanese American Cultural and Community Center in Los Angeles wanted my show, and I wrote to all the people who had bought my original work, and I asked them to send it back, and I would pay for the, I would pay for their mailing it back to me and I would mail it back to them. But they must give me permission to make giclees of them, the reproductions. And so they all agreed to do that. And so when I got them back, before I had the show, I took them out of their frames, and I had a whole CD made of all the giclees for several thousand dollars, and it was the best thing I did. And my girlfriend from New York, who's an artist, said, "You've got to do this, Chiz, because it's a historical thing. It has nothing to do with you hate reproductions. We all do, but this is very important." And so when I did that, it really made a big difference, because otherwise, I would have had only thirty-four of my paintings to show instead of sixty-one. Because as it dwindled down, I wouldn't have had any paintings left.

So as I continued to have shows in the United States, then this nonprofit company in Kawaguchi outside of Hiroshima... USA-Japan... it's a cultural exchange, that kind of a nonprofit group. And so they would bring like a taiko drummer over here or they'd bring a harp player to Japan, and it was a cultural thing. And so they asked if they can show my artwork in Kawaguchi in the early part of 2006. And so that was arranged, and I went to Kawaguchi and I taught some watercolor classes at this old farmhouse that was converted into an art gallery, and studios for teaching calligraphy and things like that. And so that made the news in Japan, it was on the AP. And so after that show, which was very successful, the mayor came, and it was just a really nice, wonderful show. And I stayed, they arranged for me to stay with this family that had this art gallery and was involved with a nonprofit organization. And it was a wonderful thing.

And then a hotel and a newspaper man from Hiroshima had information about my show in Kawaguchi, so they contacted me and said if I could have a show -- one thing that I had said in Kawaguchi is that I'm, I show my work basically so that people will know that war is a terrible thing in our present time, and I am for peace, and no more wars. And of course I have said that both my parents were from Japan, Hiroshima, Japan. So those were in the news clippings, I guess, they saw in Hiroshima. And so they arranged to have my exhibit at the Peace Museum in Hiroshima. And by that time I had my books, and so I took about 150 books with me and I shipped all my paintings to Hiroshima. And they had a lot of volunteers, they have a lot of volunteers, and they had volunteers that helped me hang. I mean, I didn't really hang, I sort of said how I wanted the paintings placed. And then I was told by the Peace Museum that nothing can be sold. So I said, "Oh, great, I can just give my books out." And so it was just fantastic. Fantastic showing, because the newspaperman knew a lot of people in Hiroshima, and so did this hotel owner. And they had arranged, as soon as I came in, they had arranged for me to come in a couple of days before my show, and they had me on a show called something like Good Morning Hiroshima or something. And I had this hotel man, who had a lot of contacts, and he was there. My interpreter, who was like a UN interpreter, as soon as I'd say something, she was able to say it in Japanese and get the answer and give my answer to me like no time had elapsed. And so it went very well, and so I was on a news program before the show opened, and then they had a lot of newspaper coverage before, also. And they had posters at the museum and around the museum area. And it was a very, very successful show. And many, many people came, they said they had the highest attendance of any art exhibit.

And I had men who, two men who came, they were together, and they had been in the bombing. And they actually showed me the scars they had on their body and their legs from the a-bomb blast. And they said they didn't even think anyone else had ever suffered even mentally. And now they realized that other people were hurt also. And I just, it was like having a crying fest with many of the people that came to my exhibit. Because my interpreter was so good that she could interpret immediately. But I mean, you know, part of the scalp had been gone, this man had a hat on, but they survived all these years. And they came to the show, and many people who were also visiting Hiroshima from the Philippines or from as far away as India and Europe, had come to the show. And I really realized for the first time that Hiroshima is the City of Peace. And you know, you hear it, but these people come because they believe in peace and no more wars. And so it was a perfect venue for my exhibit, and it was the most rewarding. And so they had a station, a TV station that followed, they spent an entire day and a half with the interpreter and I as we walked to the peace park and to Noguchi's sculpture of the eternal flame, and through the A-bomb Museum. And they recorded conversations that I had. It was like, don't even pretend we're even here, with people from Australia and different parts of the world that talked to me. And I talked to them just about... not my artwork at all, 'cause it wasn't even part of there, because the Peace Museum is this old, old bank building that they refurbished, that had the skull of it that became the Peace Museum, where they have like a billion folded cranes from all over the world, made into paintings and everything, on the upper stories of this large building that they used as a gallery. And it was just an amazing, an amazing TV portion that they used in part of their evening news. And then the other three stations also did different kinds of interviews at my art exhibit itself, interviewing other onlookers. And then another TV station that did it when I spoke to the faculty and the students of the University of Hiroshima.

And it was probably the most important show of my life. Because here I was with people who were of the exact like mind of... and I said, "Nothing could be worse than what happened to you people here in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and what happened to the Jewish people during the Holocaust during World War II. And these events are just horrific compared to what we went through." But I said, "The wars do hurt people, and so my show is here because I represent peace. And it all starts with each one of us." And it was very, very well-received, and I know this newspaper man said, "Chizuko, if you could just stay another two months, we could have you elected mayor of Hiroshima." 'Cause people would recognize me on the streets and then in the park and in the restaurants, and they'd come up and talk to me. Or they'd say, "You bought a manju mochi from me," or something like this. And it was this huge city that seemed like this very, very small community of very, of the closest of all families. And so it was such a great experience. I just could never believe how wonderful it was.

MA: It seems that it was cathartic for you, the process of producing your collection, but also cathartic for people who saw your paintings and viewed your paintings. And I think that that speaks to the power of art, to really reach so many people and to cross boundaries. I think it's the power of art and your painting, really.

CQ: I know that people have said, "Why do you use such bright colors and happy colors for very, very sad things?" And I said, "You know, there's nothing else I can do." I mean, I'm not a black and white painter. And the other thing that was really important that people have asked me... probably the most telling question that was asked in Hiroshima was this one student said, "Do you consider yourself" -- at the University of Hiroshima -- "Do you consider yourself Japanese or do you consider yourself an American?" And I said, "I am an American, I consider myself an American, but my heart is Japanese." And I realized when I said that, it's really true. Because I have all the Japanese principles that were ingrained in me through my dad and my older brothers and sisters. And you cannot, you cannot bring shame to your family, you cannot do something unjust, that you must commit hara kiri and kill yourself if you do something bad in the community or you do something bad to bring shame to the family. And these are very, very Japanese principles. Maybe they're Christian principles, too, I don't know. But I know they're very Japanese, very Buddhist, very much. And so I do feel like maybe my grandchildren don't feel like they have, except a quarter Japanese or an eighth Japanese blood in them now. But I feel I'm really Japanese inside, and I'm an American on the outside.

<End Segment 15> - Copyright © 2009 Densho. All Rights Reserved.