Artifacts donated by Nagoya to Los Angeles in celebration of the sister-city relationship. A decision to relocate the artifacts and replace them with the Olympics flags has drawn criticism.
By ELLEN ENDO
Rafu Shimpo
A Los Angeles City Council motion passed July 2 authorizing $500,000 to remove artifacts from the City Hall rotunda and replace them with 2024 Olympic flags has drawn criticism from both the Japanese American and Korean American communities, who are concerned that relocation of the antiquities to the Convention Center fails to respect the cultural sensitivities embodied in the items.
For 64 years, a mikoshi, or portable Shinto shrine, donated by the city of Nagoya, has stood in the City Hall rotunda in commemoration of L.A.’s first official sister-city affiliation, forged in 1960. This week, the priceless palanquin is scheduled to be removed.
Already relocated from the rotunda was a replica of turtle battleship Geobuksen gifted by Busan, South Korea, which became L.A.’s second Asian sister city in 1982.
According to the motion introduced by Council President Paul Kerkorian and 11thDistrict Councilmember Traci Park, the action is needed to authorize Mayor Karen Bass to display the 2024 flags in connection with the 2028 Olympic Games, which will take place in L.A.
There will be two sets of flags, one in the hallway immediately adjacent to the Mayor’s Office or in the Tom Bradley Room of City Hall, with an additional set of flags to be displayed in the John Ferraro Council Chambers.
Ji-Eun Kim, an aide to the mayor, explained to Korea Daily U.S., “Not only the turtle ship model but also other gifts from sister cities will be re-exhibited at the Convention Center. Due to limited space at City Hall, we planned the move so that visitors to the Convention Center can continue to see the turtle ship model and other items.”
The motion authorizes the relocation of the existing objects on the City Hall’s third floor “to make room for the flag display.” In addition, it directs the Department of Cultural Affairs, Department of General Services, and City Tourism Department to consult with appropriate conservation experts.
Temporary walls are placed in the City Hall rotunda as the artifacts are moved.
“I am shocked to learn that the major gifts from the City of Nagoya … will be relocated to the Convention Center,” said Peter Langenberg, speaking on behalf of the L.A.-Nagoya Sister City Affiliation (LANSCA). “The decision to ship these off to the Convention Center shows that Los Angeles does not appreciate the value of the treasures that it has and raises a similar question about its sister-city relationship with Nagoya.
“These ‘gifts’ are not tokens. These are all rare, one-of-a-kind, museum-quality exemplars of the traditional Japanese art of fine craftsmanship that Nagoya is famous for.”
Another part of the City Hall display consists of a festival float (kasuisha) with mechanical dolls that were presented during Nisei Week in 1989 and a wall clock with mechanical dolls (karakuri) that was presented during Nisei Week in 1994.?
David Ikegami, Little Tokyo Business Association (LTBA) president, noted that the timing of this council action is particularly unfortunate as the 82ndannual Nisei Week Festival, one of the city’s largest cultural celebrations, is set to get under way on Aug. 10, with the Grand Parade on Aug. 11.
Ikegami said that LTBA echoes LANSCA’s concerns and calls for the city to articulate what precautions were taken prior to the removal of the artifacts. LTBA has maintained ties with its counterpart business association in Nagoya, Pure O2.
Scott Seo, former Wilshire Center-Koreatown Neighborhood Council chair, expressed, “They should have at least consulted the Korean community before making the move. This action disregards Korea and even our sister city, Busan.”
Representatives from the Nagoya municipal government and Pure O2 attend the Nisei Week Festival each year and are expected to attend this year.
Langenberg added, “The city should find a place which will value them both as unique treasures of Japanese art and second as symbols of the sister-city ties between L.A. and Nagoya that remain strong after 65 years …
“There are numerous places in Los Angeles where Japanese art is held in high esteem and these would be properly cared for and valued. That is not the L.A. Convention Center.”
L.A. Mayor Richard Riordan (left) unveils the wall clock donated by Nagoya in 1994.
Deputy Mayor Erin Bromaghim, in a July 31 letter to Nagoya Mayor Takashi Kawamura, stated that the artifacts will undergo a full restoration before they are displayed at the convention center and assured Nagoya leaders of the L.A.’s support for the sister-city relationship.
“The Mikoshi float, the Kasuisha float and the Karakuri wall clock will undergo a full restoration and conservation, prior to being on display in the halls of our convention center where an entirely new audience will be able to enjoy these works of art. Steps will be taken to maintain the provenance of the piece.” Bromaghim said.