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Kota Ezawa Delves Into Memory, Politics, and Identity at Fort Mason

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Alcatraz is an Idea, part of Kota Ezawa’s exhibition at Fort Mason, on now. Photo by Vita Hewitt.

Kota Ezawa’s new exhibition at the Fort Mason Center for Arts and Culture, Kota Ezawa: Here and There — Now and Then, explores the intersection of memory, politics, and identity through his signature digital animations. Known for his unique approach to news-based art, Ezawa transforms recent historical moments into distilled, visually arresting pieces that invite reflection. With nine works on display, this exhibition demonstrates how site-specific art can reshape our understanding of the events that affect our cultural and political landscapes.

The exhibit couldn’t be more aptly placed in Gallery 308, perched over the very waters the art depicts. From Fort Mason, visitors can gaze out onto the Bay and Alcatraz Island, while absorbing their artistic depictions within.

Ezawa’s work is grounded in the present but is also deeply aware of history. The centerpiece of the show is Alcatraz is an Idea, created in collaboration with writer and activist Julian Brave NoiseCat and artists Dodi Bellamy and Rudolph Freiling. The piece references the 2019 Indigenous-led Alcatraz Canoe Journey, a commemorative event that brought Native peoples from across the West Coast to the shores of Alcatraz Island, recalling the 1969 Occupation of Alcatraz. Ezawa’s animation distills the moment’s raw power and cultural resonance into a hypnotic visual rhythm, underscoring the event’s relevance even today. This act of resistance, which lasted until 1971, remains a symbol of Native American activism and reclamation of land.

Grand Princess by Kota Ezawa. Photo by Vita Hewitt.

The animation presents a calm yet powerful reminder of the importance of place, as well as the history that binds us to it. As the animation unfolds, the voice of Richard Oakes, one of the leaders of the 1969 occupation, is heard reciting the Alcatraz Proclamation, a bold declaration of Native Americans’ intent to reclaim the island. Oakes recites, “We will purchase said Alcatraz for $24.00 in glass beads and red cloth,” humorously referencing the absurdity of the original land deals made with Indigenous peoples. Yet, in Ezawa’s rendering, these words are imbued with solemnity, inviting a deeper examination of both the past and the present.

In contrast, Ezawa’s Grand Princess animation transports us to 2020, another pivotal moment in recent history. The piece showed Fort Mason as a drive-through movie theater, a phenomenon that emerged during the COVID-19 pandemic. The show presents a commissioned cover of “I Left My Heart in San Francisco” by the Red Room Orchestra featuring Petra Haden, its melancholic strains evoking the uncertainty and isolation that defined the early days of the pandemic. This juxtaposition of historical and contemporary crises—what Ezawa aptly calls the “now and then”—becomes a meditation on how we respond to shared trauma, both personal and collective. 

Detail of Merzbau 1, 2,3, Ezawa’s tribute to German Dada artist Kurt Schwitters. Photo by Vita Hewitt.

Another highlight of the show is Merzbau 1, 2, 3, a tribute to German Dada artist Kurt Schwitters. Through a meticulous reimagining of Schwitters’ iconic home studio, Ezawa explores the power of destruction and reconstruction. Schwitters’ Merzbau was a monumental, experimental installation of collaged sculptures that filled his home. Destroyed in a 1943 Nazi air raid, the work became a symbol of the Dada movement’s commitment to rethinking the value of art in times of chaos.

In Ezawa’s digital recreation, the space is rendered in vinyl wallpaper, the abstract patterns fractured by animated projections of Schwitters reciting his sound poem Ursonate. The work is both a tribute to Dadaism and a commentary on how art functions as both an act of rebellion and survival in times of political and social upheaval.

An animation of German Artist Kurt Schwitters reciting his sound poem Ursonate in Kota Azawa’s piece Merzbau 1, 2,3, on now at Fort Mason. Photo by Vita Hewitt.

Dadaism, born out of the disillusionment and destruction of World War I, continues to resonate in today’s political climate. The movement’s embrace of absurdity, anti-authoritarianism, and radical self-expression is an antidote to the rigidity and dogma often seen in contemporary politics. In a world where truth and facts are increasingly under siege, Dada’s playful defiance of conventional logic feels more urgent than ever. Ezawa’s Merzbau is not only a visual homage to Schwitters but a statement on the power of art to challenge the status quo and provoke thought in a politically volatile moment.

More info Here.


This post was sponsored by Fort Mason Center for the Arts & Culture

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Vita Hewitt

Vita Hewitt

Vita is a half Chinese-Malaysian, photograph taking, plant foraging, vegetable garden growing, astronaut impersonating, conceptual art creating Bay Area human. She loves exploring the intricacies of the Bay Area Art Scene.