GARDENA — The Greater L.A. Chapter of the JACL will present a talk by Steve Nagano on “The Present and Future of Little Tokyo” on Sunday, Feb. 17, at 2 p.m. at Merit Park Recreation Hall, 58 Merit Park Dr. (off 158th Street) in Gardena.
Nagano will screen his film “The Arts District Without Artists” (7 minutes). The film was first shown at Visual Communications’ Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival in May 2018.
Reminiscent of the past, artists have been forced to move, “relocate,” after years of living and working in one of the first designated artist-in-residence buildings in Los Angeles. The new owners, a subsidiary of an international bank, of the Joannes Building, began the evictions immediately.
Nagano will also talk about efforts to preserve Little Tokyo.
Sand artist Akifumi Kasanuki will perform after the presentation. On a table, Kasanuki will model sand into an artistic form. As he works, what he does will be projected onto a screen for all to watch.
All are welcome. For information, call Louise at (310) 327-3169.