Monuments Men: On the Frontline to Save Europe's Art, 1942-1946

Where: Archives of American Art

When: through April 20, 2014

In case you don't know, the Archives of American Art is contained within the Museum of American Art.  They have one room dedicated to their use, and except for when they're changing displays, there's always a show.  Now that the Christmas season is behind us for another year, the card display has been put away, and the Archives is riding the George Clooney wave.

For those of you living under a rock, George Clooney has recently released a movie about the Monuments Men, the group of art historians, archivists and librarians that worked during World War II, first to protect historic buildings from Allied bombing, and then found art the Nazis had stolen from all over Europe.  For those of us who love art, their work cannot be valued highly enough.  Most people had never heard of the Monuments Men until the release of this recent film, but now they are enjoying a great vogue. 

The Smithsonian holds the papers of several of the Monuments Men, and this display shows their letters, their working papers and photographs of the men and those with whom they worked.  Of course, it's always hard to make documents into something exciting, but the subject matter does a good job of holding one's interest here.  One figure with whom I was unfamiliar before I saw this exhibit is Rose Valland, a French art historian.  She was captured by the Nazis and used her situation to spy on her captors (who didn't know she spoke German) to find out the location of many hidden treasures.  She risked her life to save stolen art, and was to prove a valuable ally to the Monuments Men in their work.

Verdict: If you have any interest in this subject, check out this small exhibit.  The real Monuments Men are not so photogenic as their Hollywood counterparts, but their story is fascinating nonetheless.

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

Where: Renwick Gallery

When: until January 30, 2011

This exhibit features art created by persons of Japanese descent living in internment camps during World War II. It is truly incredible that people living in these conditions could create any art, let alone such beautiful pieces. Some of the items are practical things, as people could take almost nothing with them, and had very little in the way of furniture.

Others are simply works of art, including Akira Oye's bear carving. It's stunning, yet he never carved again after leaving the camps. Chiura Obuta did a series of internment sketches. They start out in an impressionistic style, then become more realistic, as they depict scenes in the camp. The sketch of a deaf man shot at a fence (the guards warned him away, but he couldn't hear them) was haunting. A painting by George Matsusaburo Hiti, Topaz in Winter, reminded me of the "snow effect" used by the impressionists.

There were classes organized in the camps, showing how much the internees valued education, no matter the circumstances. Those who were artists before coming to the camps, or who picked up skills while there, taught others how to make things, whether for daily use or for decoration. Also amazing is the way the internees used whatever materials were at hand to create their art.

Edward Jitsue Kurushima made a toy train that looks like a model you could buy in a store, and he made it with scrap metal. On display were many bird carvings that were used as pins, that were made from scrap lumber and bits of wire.

Verdict: This show isn't always easy to view, as it is a vivid reminder of the injustice done to these people, but does show how resilient people can be. It reminds us that art can exist in even the most unlikely circumstances. This show is well worth a visit.