CASE STUDY: 'Peace shadows' ensure Hiroshima nuclear tragedy stays in public mind

Aim

The Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum wanted to ensure that the bombing did not disappear from public consciousness. With the anniversary looming, the museum wanted to create an image that would make an impact on those who had not been directly affected by the events of 1945 and pass on the memories in a new form.

Execution

When the bomb fell on Hiroshima, the flash of its explosion created a ‘nuclear shadow’ — an eerie engraving of a human figure on a wall. Based on such an image photographed by Eichi Matsumoto in Nagasaki in 1945, Hakuhodo decided to develop a series of ‘peace shadows’ that would create a personal connection with the tragedy. Participants stood in front of strong light for three minutes while wishing for a world without nuclear weapons. During this time, their shadow was captured on specially treated paper as a blue etching, which participants then signed as a demonstration of solidarity with the anti-nuclear cause. The workshop was extended to universities and public facilities around the country as an educational activity.

The peace shadows were exhibited where they were exposed in various locations around Hiroshima. The initiative also extended overseas and participants from around the world were invited to submit their shadows to a designated online site, in so doing creating a community with a shared sentiment. The site also provided information on the real-life experiences of the victims of the bombing. 

Results

Over 1,800 people in 130 countries have so far sent in peace shadows. The campaign received broad coverage in the national press and NHK aired a documentary of the workshop on the memorial day. The project was subsequently featured in the Hiroshima Modern Museum, the Japan Media Arts Festival and the Whitney Museum in New York as an installation.