Artists reflect on the Fukushima disaster after 10 years
A museum south of the exclusion zone features works by Japanese artists who deal with the disaster in their works, while trying to establish a culture of remembrance for coming generations.
'Artists and the Disaster: Imagining in the 10th Year'
By organizing the exhibition "Artists and the Disaster: Imagining in the 10th Year," the art center in the city of Mito (photo), which suffered damage from the earthquake of 2011, looked back on the catastrophe after one decade through the eyes of Japanese artists.
Enchanting landscapes in the exclusion zone
In his works, artist Akira Kamo paints the ambivalence of post-disaster scenery in nuclear exclusion zones: beautiful landscapes where no one can enter because of the risks of contamination from radioactive substances. This painting from 2019 is titled: "Standing Near Kitaide, Namiemachi, Futaba District, Fukushima Prefecture."
A double-layered town
Through video, writings and paintings, the duo Haruka Komori + Natsumi Seo depict the recovering process of Rikuzentakata, Iwate Prefecture, a town that suffered tremendous damage from the tsunami, and its metamorphosis through the years. This still is from the video "Double layered town, Making a song to replace our positions."
Against fear and discrimination
With his documentary film "A Classroom Divided by a Red Line," Hikaru Fujii addresses the issue of discrimination experienced by the people of Fukushima fueled by fear and anguish towards the invisible.
Creating connections
In this video series based on encounters with real people, the artist Tadasu Takamine portrays the impact of the nuclear accident on people's daily lives after the catastrophe, and confusion regarding the radiation risks that has emerged in the Japanese society.
A mountain turned into a pile of sand
Makiko Satake's paintings depict how the landscape of the affected areas' dramatically changed after the disaster. This work, titled "Hiyoriyama-Hello Again" is her impression of the lowest mountain in Japan located in Gamo, Sendai. The area was reduced to a wasteland after being hit by the tsunami.
Restricted zone
"Don't Follow the Wind" is a collaborative project that has taken place since 2015 at multiple locations in the so-called Difficult-to-Return Zone. Twelve artists are exhibiting their work in there; but nobody can physically visit the venues until the restrictions are lifted. Grand Guignol Mirai, one of the artists involved in the project, made videos of the artists' journey to the zone.
Processing pain through art
Artist Nishiko is collecting objects broken by the earthquake, carefully repairing them, giving them a new life, despite their painful history.