The Japanese American Cultural and Community Center announces "Toyo Miyatake: View from Glass Eye", an extensive exhibition of 100 works by one of Los Angeles' most respected photographers. 

Toyo Miyatake took up photography soon after moving to the United States from the Kagawa Prefecture of Japan.  Under the tutelage of Harry Shigeta and later Edward Weston, Miyatake developed astute technique in black and white photography and the ability to capture an amazing range of subjects. He made studio portraits of famous Japanese and American personalities, including Michio Ito, Yumeji Takeshita, and Thomas Mann.  Miyatake did sports photography for the 1932 Olympic Games for Asahi Shinbun in Japan.  Miyatake also captured the most memorable visual documentation of the Manzanar Japanese-American internment camp.

Because photography was banned in the camps, Miyatake was forced to sneak in his camera parts.  He built a camera frame from wooden crates and attached his contraband lens.  Using this home-made camera, Miyatake captured many of the best documentary photographs of the camp.  This camera and the black and white images taken with it, are on display in this exhibition.

"Toyo Miyatake: View from Glass Eye" presents works selected from over 10,000 negatives spanning the breadth of Miyatake's work.  Co-curated with Archie Miyatake, the exhibition  includes photographs never before publicly displayed.  Coinciding with the 110th anniversary of the artist's birth, "View from Glass Eye" offers unique insight into the artist's ground-breaking work and the cultural history surrounding these photographs.

The exhibition opens April 30, 2005 with a reception from 1pm to 4pm. Archie Miyatake, son of the artist and current owner of the Toyo Miyatake Studio, will give a special exhibition tour at the opening of the reception.  The exhibition continues until July 3, open to the public Tuesday through Friday 12:00 to 5:00pm and Saturday and Sunday 11:00am to 4:00pm.  The Gallery is closed Mondays.  Admission is free.

Cost : Admission Free