JANM exclusive!
This dish towel was inspired by a map of Topaz, drawn by Miné Okubo, and which originally appeared in the June 1943 issue of Trek, a copy of which is in the JANM Collection and appears in the exhibition Miné Okubo's Masterpiece: The Art of Citizen 13660 (August 28, 2021--February 20, 2022).
Trek was a literary arts magazine produced by Japanese Americans incarcerated in Topaz, Utah. The Trek staff produced three quarterly issues, which included creative writing, articles about the Topaz region, and hand-drawn illustrations that portrayed life in camp. Okubo served as the art director of the magazine, creating most of the artwork within the magazine as well as the cover of each issue. The features and landmarks that Okubo highlighted on the Topaz map give insight into the aspects of life as an incarceree.
Applying this image to a dish towel is a tongue-in-cheek reference to the souvenir map towels that people purchase so they “never forget” a place they’ve been. This 100% cotton towel measures 19” x 29”.
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