After 60 years, Dr. Steinberg reunites with Tamanaha’s daughter, Midori, who flew to Okinawa from Chiba, Japan.

The trip was memorable from the start.  At the airport to greet Dr. Steinberg and myself were the daughters of artists Tamanaha and Ashimine.  The oldest daughter of Tamanaha, Midori, last saw Dr. Steinberg 60 years ago when she was a very young child, but she has fondly remembered him throughout these years.

It was a most touching, emotional reunion.  Also there to greet us were Professor Emeritus Chosho Ashitomi, who came to Berkeley as guest speaker for the exhibit, Painting to Live, and his wife, Etsuko, who is one of artist Adaniya’s sister; Marie Yamazato; Fuji Takayasu and Tom Kreutzer from the American Consulate General’s office; Curators from the Okinawa Prefecture Museum, Naoki Onaga and Satoshi Yonahara; and Bunka no Mori curator for the Prefecture Museum, Makiko Tsuchie, who did a documentary on the Nishimui artists aired last fall, with the camera crew of the Ryukyuan Broadcasting station.

On September 5, 2008,  Dr. Steinberg delivered the keynote speech sharing his experiences painting with the late artists Kanemasa Ashimine, Masayoshi Adaniya, Seikichi Tamanaha and the last living Nishimui artist, Itoku Gushiken, who was present in the audience.  Dr. Steinberg shared photos of the artists and paintings from that time period projected onto a large movie screen. 

The packed audience of artists, students and the general public saw never before seen art produced by these artists and photos of the intimate friendship that developed between the Okinawan artists and the American physicians that painted with them.  A surprise exhibit, put together by Makiko Tsuchie, consisted of found paintings by Dr. Steinberg and his colleague, Dr. Walter Abelmann, that were done when they were students of Tamanaha, and also paintings by Ashimine of the late Dr. David Rose and his wife, Edith.

 It was touching to learn that just as much as Doctors Steinberg, Abelmann and Rose cherished their time and paintings with the Okinawan artists, so did these artists cherish their paintings of the physicians all these years.

Dr. Steinberg next to a self-portrait done as a student of Tamanaha’s that was discovered in Tamanaha’s studio.

 
Jane Dulay, Stanley Steinberg and translator Hiroko Tamaki during the panel discussion at the symposium.  Hiroko went to the intensive English School at San Jose State University.

Tamanaha’s daughters-Yayoi and Midori, Jane Dulay, Ashimine’s daughter-Masako, and Makiko Tsuchie in front of Paikaji, one of many wonderful Okinawan restaurants by the Prefectural Museum.

On September 9 Professor Yamazato hosted an informal round table discussion at the University of the Ryukyus with Dr. Steinberg and myself.  It was a lively discussion about the complex relationship the artists had with the newly US occupied forces, and the unusually amazing relationship that Dr. Steinberg managed to have with the Okinawan artists despite military prohibitions to fraternizing off duty with the Okinawans.  Dr. Steinberg and Professor Chosho Ashitomi emphasized that although the artists produced art to live after the war, many for souvenirs for the military, they were first and foremost artists, and to them, art was life itself.  Their art not only reflected their artistic training, but the new influences of the post-impressionists, Cezanne and Matisse, and also their fascination with abstractionist artists like Picasso.   
At the University of the Ryukyus: standing is Professor Yamazato, to his left seated is Fuji Takeyasu, Professor Ashitomi and his wife, Etsuko, and Mrs. Lili A. Yaeko Toyama, whose son, Robert, is a librarian at the University of California, Berkeley.
Marie Yamazato with Professor Ashitomi

After the discussion Professor Ashitomi guided a tour of what once was the Nishiumi Artist Colony near the intersection of Gibo.  The only original dwellings remaining from the Nishimui era is Adaniya’s home/studio and the well-known stone house of the late Nishimui artist, Keichi Yamamoto.  His wife, Fumiko, an artist in her own right, was at home to greet us and give us a tour of her home. 

Fumiko Yamamoto, artist and wife of the late Nishimui artist, Keichi Yamamoto, in her home at Nishimui.

We were invited by Tamanaha’s daughters, Midori and Yayoi, to their father’s studio, which has remained untouched since his death in the 80’s.  We were also given a tour of Ashimine’s home by his daughter, Masako Miyazato, curator for the Okinawa Prefectural Museum of History, and his son, Masakane, a sanshin and pareko drum musician.  It was incredible to witness firsthand these artists’ paintings and the evolution of their art before their deaths. 
  
In Tamanaha’s studio with daughters, Yayoi and Midori, Dr. Steinberg and his son, Paul 


In front of Ashimine’s home/studio:  Ashimine’s son, Masakane and daughter, Masako
 

The Okinawans were so generous and warm in their reception and hospitality.  It was truly an unforgettable experience for Dr. Steinberg, his son, Paul, and myself. Even though the island has become more citified and concretized, there were glimpses of the Okinawa Dr. Steinberg once knew that brought back fond memories –the walk down Heiwa dori to Tsuboya, the drive to Okuma, the beautiful blue sky and ocean, coral beaches and lush vegetation, and of course, the wonderful people.

Paul Steinberg, Stanley Steinberg and Jay Wentworth (KHS 1968) who graciously drove us to Okuma Beach for lunch at what was once the Officer’s Club, now open to all military personnel.

We are very grateful to Fuji Takeyasu and the American Consulate General’s office for making this trip happen.  It looks promising that we will be invited to participate in a forthcoming exhibit at the Okinawa Prefecture Art Museum this coming January through March 2009. 

- Jane Dulay

Dr. Steinberg’s keynote speech and most of the paintings from the Painting to Live exhibit can be found in an online published catalogue, Painting to Live by Jane Dulay and Stanley Steinberg, beautifully designed by Jane's son, Jono Brandel.  To learn more, just click on the link below.

http://www.lulu.com/content/3676302