Torrance, CA — The public is invited to a special closing reception for the art exhibit currently on display in the lobby of the James R. Armstrong Theater at the City of Torrance Cultural Center. The event will take place on Friday, November 21, from 4:00 pm to 7:30 pm.
This powerful exhibit features works by artists responding to the history of 125,000 persons of Japanese ancestry who were forcibly removed and incarcerated by the U.S. government during World War II. The exhibit is part of fundraising efforts for the “World War II Camp Wall” project, which will be constructed in Columbia Park, Torrance. The Wall will serve as a permanent monument, featuring names derived from the Ireicho project—a physical book listing all those removed and imprisoned for “looking like the enemy.”
The reception coincides with the “Fall of Freedom,” a national campaign activating a wave of creative resistance in protest of threats to democracy, freedom of speech, and free expression. Art institutions across the country—including libraries, museums, galleries, and theaters—will stage events nationwide on November 21 and 22, recognizing art’s vital role in countering fascism, propaganda, and disinformation.
More than 80 years ago, racist attitudes toward Japanese immigrants led to widespread hatred and fear. On February 19, 1942, President Franklin D. Roosevelt issued Executive Order 9066, granting the U.S. military broad authority to designate military zones and exclude individuals of Japanese ancestry. This resulted in the imprisonment of over 125,000 people—two-thirds of whom were American citizens—without charges or trials.
Featured artists in this exhibit include Chiho Harazaki, Hatsuko Mary Higuchi, Eileen Oda Leaf, Lynn Mikami, Beth Shibata, Alvin Takamori, and Margaret Tan.
Event Details:
James R. Armstrong Theatre
3330 Civic Center Dr., Torrance, CA 90503
Friday, November 21, 2025, from 4:00 pm to 7:30 pm
Presented by the WWII Camp Wall, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, in association with the City of Torrance. The project is co-sponsored by the George and Sakaye Aratani CARE Award and UCLA’s Asian American Studies Center.
For more information, visit:
- WWII Camp Wall: wwiicampwall.org
- Ireicho Project: https://ireizo.org/ireicho
- Fall of Freedom: https://falloffreedom.com
