Jun Fujita: American Visionary

Jun Fujita: American Visionary, copresented with the Newberry Library, focuses on the extraordinary accomplishments of poet and photojournalist Jun Fujita. This exhibition is an expanded version of Jun Fujita: Oblivion, first mounted at the Poetry Foundation in 2017, exploring Fujita’s poetry, photography, and uncommon life. Born outside Hiroshima, Fujita came to Chicago in 1909, becoming the first Japanese American photojournalist. He published his tanka regularly in Poetry, and as a photographer he was responsible for capturing many of the most famous moments in Chicago history, including the Eastland Disaster, the 1919 race riots, and the St. Valentine’s Day Massacre. Fujita also put forward a vision of what “American” can mean, achieving unprecedented success in his profession despite the hostility, prejudice, and persecution he faced as an immigrant.

Presented in partnership with the Newberry and the Water Tower Arts District