On the San Francisco State University Campus there is a monument that no one knows is a monument called, "Garden of Remembrance," it is a garden that is dedicated to the 19 Japanese American students who were part of the many Japanese Americans that were interned during WWII. This garden has 10 boulders that represent the 10 relocation aka internment camps that held many Japanese Americans who were so wrongfully imprisoned. There is a plaque that indicates this garden as the "Garden of Remembrance," but no one can see it because it is located across from it in the corner, covered with trees. My Monument Intervention project is about making this garden known and the remembrance of what happened to the Japanese American internees known. So I decided to create an impermanent chalk stream from the boulders to the plaque to lead people to read what the garden is really about. I designed the stream to include koi fish representing the people interned going toward freedom, and lead people to read about what happened to them. I also included writing the 10 names of the internment camps on the boulders themselves to indicate where these fish were swimming away from. Almost metaphorically, this garden with no one knowing its meaning is like the imprisonment of these people and now my intervention is giving them freedom by letting people know at least for a while what the meaning of this garden is.
Information about the Garden of Remembrance
Nice Heather! When you first mentioned your concept, I too was unfamiliar with the monument. I was familiar with the area though as its one of my favorite features of our campus. I was excited to learn of its significance, and glad you called attention to it. Your installation was very effective ..and touching. My grandfather and his family were interred at Minidoka, he left upon enlisting, but they stayed. Thanks for doing this.
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