Receiving hostile looks while traveling by bus, Berkeley, California, 1941-42

Miné Okubo’s “Receiving hostile looks while traveling by bus, Berkeley, California, 1941-42” isn't merely a depiction of an everyday scene; it’s a poignant snapshot of the pervasive prejudice and fear that gripped America during World War II. Created in 1942-44, this ink drawing on paper serves as a powerful testament to the lived experience of Japanese Americans forcibly displaced from their homes amidst escalating anxieties about national security. Okubo's meticulous observation—captured through the window of a bus—transforms an unremarkable journey into a symbol of exclusion and discrimination.

• Subject Matter: The artwork centers on a woman, identified as Mine Okubo herself, seated on public transportation. Surrounding her are fellow passengers who gaze upon her with expressions of disapproval and hostility. This visual narrative directly confronts the reality of internment camps—where Japanese Americans faced constant scrutiny and prejudice from those outside their community.
• Style: The drawing embodies Social Realism, prioritizing truthful representation over idealized beauty. Okubo’s artistic approach aims to convey the emotional impact of her experiences with unflinching honesty.
• Technique: Employing cross-hatching—a technique characterized by closely spaced parallel lines—Okubo skillfully builds texture and depth into the drawing. This meticulous layering creates a palpable sense of realism, mirroring the cramped conditions and oppressive atmosphere of the relocation camps. The artist’s careful attention to detail elevates the piece beyond simple observation, transforming it into an emotive portrayal of human vulnerability.
• Historical Context: Executed during Executive Order 9066—which mandated the removal of Japanese Americans from the West Coast—the artwork reflects the broader societal anxieties surrounding wartime paranoia and racial prejudice. It serves as a crucial document capturing the psychological toll of displacement and discrimination on individuals navigating an uncertain future.
• Symbolic Significance: The hostile stares directed at Okubo symbolize the dehumanizing effects of prejudice and fear. Her posture—arms crossed, facing forward—suggests resilience in the face of adversity, embodying the spirit of perseverance amidst challenging circumstances. Ultimately, “Receiving hostile looks while traveling by bus” transcends its visual form to become a symbol of resistance against injustice and discrimination.

Provenance: Gift of Mine Okubo Estate, 2007.62.15 Artist Information: Miné Okubo (1912-2001) – A Life Etched in Resilience: The Art of Miné Okubo A Life Etched in Resilience: The Art of Miné Okubo Miné Okubo, born in Riverside, California, in 1912, was an artist whose life became inextricably linked to a pivotal and painful chapter in American history. Her story is not simply one of artistic talent, but of profound courage, unwavering observation, and the power of art as witness. From her early encouragement within a family that valued creativity – her mother a skilled calligrapher, her father a scholar – Okubo embarked on a path toward formal training, studying at the University of California, Berkeley, and later venturing to Europe in 1938 to broaden her artistic horizons. This period of study was abruptly curtailed by the looming shadow of World War II, forcing her return to America just as global tensions reached a boiling point. Little could she have known that this homecoming would lead not to continued artistic exploration, but to forced incarceration and an experience that would define both her life and her art. Bearin