ST. JOHN'S PREP   TODAY

   SPRING 2010                                

   St. John's Prep Today is a quarterly publication of the St. John's Preparatory School
  (Danvers, MA) Alumni Organization

For more than 20 years, Andy Frazer (class of 1980) was known for his night photography of abandoned buildings, empty landscapes and forgotten, lonely objects. His work took a dramatically different turn, when a San Jose Japanese-American organization asked him to photograph a Day of Remembrance event in 2006. The event commemorated the day – February 19, 1942 – when Franklin Roosevelt's signed Executive Order 9066, which led to the incarceration of 110,000 people of Japanese ancestry.

Frazer went on to meet many people who had been interned during World Warr II and developed a great appreciation for what they endured. He decided to chronicle their experiences through the Kioku Project, a collection of portraits of Japanese-American Internees.

“These people are a wonderful historical resource, and their story needs to be told so everyone can learn from this unfortunate period in our history,” says Frazer. “What also motivates me to do this project is that most of the people who lived through internment are well into their eighties and nineties, so time is running out.”

When he shoots the portraits, Frazer brings a voice recorder and asks people to talk about their experiences. Generous with their time, they share fascinating stories of loss (including freedom and possessions) and perseverance. For more information about the project, visit www.gorillasites.com/kioku.

The Kioku Project stands in sharp contrast to Frazer's other work. “It's different than most portraiture that I do where I'm trying to capture a flattering image of someone,” he says. “With this project I'm trying to photograph them as real as possible, while also capturing something of their character.”

Frazer's interest in photography began at the age of six, when his family moved from the U.K. To the U.S. Planning to stay stateside for only a few years, the family traveled extensively around New England exploring the region. His father photographer those travels, and the camera became an integral part of the experience.