Help Preserve an
Irreplaceable Legacy
Masumi Hayashi spent decades documenting places the world would rather forget. Now her work needs your help to survive.
Boudhanath Stupa, Prayer Wheel, Kathmandu, Nepal — Panoramic Photo Collage, 2004
The Mission
Dr. Masumi Hayashi created 354 panoramic photo collages over three decades — painstakingly assembled works documenting EPA Superfund toxic waste sites, Japanese American internment camps, sacred architectures across Asia, and abandoned prisons. Each collage is a handmade original, constructed from dozens of individual photographs.
Half of her catalogue exists as single copies. In the Sacred Architectures series alone, 69% of works are unique — one print, one chance to preserve them. Without archival digitization, these irreplaceable documents of cultural memory are at risk of being lost.
The Masumi Hayashi Foundation is racing to complete the digitization of every work — museum-quality scanning, cataloging, and digital preservation so that future generations of scholars, curators, and students can access this extraordinary body of work.
Your Donation Funds
Archival Scanning
High-resolution digitization of panoramic collages up to 56 inches wide, preserving every detail of Hayashi's handmade assemblages.
Catalogue & Provenance
Building the definitive catalogue raisonné — documenting every work's history, ownership, exhibition record, and scholarly context.
Public Access
Making the complete archive freely accessible online so researchers, educators, and the public can engage with Hayashi's work worldwide.
Hayashi's work is held by the Cleveland Museum of Art, the Akron Art Museum, and university collections nationwide. In May 2026, her work will be featured in "Beneath the Surface" at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. — a milestone for her legacy and a testament to the growing recognition of her contribution to American art.
Support the Foundation
Monthly Support
RecommendedSustaining members provide the reliable funding that makes long-term preservation possible. Even $10/month makes a difference.
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The Masumi Hayashi Foundation (EIN: 82-4030666) is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt nonprofit organization. Your donation is tax-deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law. You will receive a receipt for your contribution.
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