Friday, November 20, 2009

"The Hiroshima Projection" 1999



This project was a collaboration between the artist and the Hiroshima A-Bomb dome foundation. The dome was one of the few structures left standing after the dropping of the atomic bomb on Hiroshima August 6, 1945. Although the dropping of the bomb had the desired result (ending the pacific theater of World War Two) it came at a horrible cost. Over 160,000 people died immediately after the bomb was dropped or as a result of injuries sustained. The Hiroshima A-Bomb dome was dedicated as a monument to those who died and serves as a reminder of the human cost of war. The work itself consisted of video taken of survivors of the bombs but showing just their hands. This was projected on a river bank just below the dome which ensured that you couldn’t see the dome without seeing and hearing the survivor’s memories.

Wodiczko’s interest in doing this project was started when he received the Hiroshima Prize. This prize is given to artists who further the cause of world peace. As Wodiczko said “I don’t think I deserve this prize, but once it was given to me I decided to accept it on the condition that I will try to deserve this prize. I will be spending the rest of my life trying to deserve it….It was also a possibility to do a large public project in Hiroshima. I proposed a projection, which was to take place the night of the anniversary of the bombing, which was a very important event worldwide, in Japan, and of course, most importantly, in Hiroshima.”

The critics and public at large were impressed with the projection and its significance. George Baker of Art Forum in the December, 2000 issue said the projection was impressive and described the hands as “particularly suited to the contradictions of such a task”. He goes on to say that “the hands below the dome transformed the structure into something like a speaking being, an uncanny, damaged body now reverberating with life and voice….. he turned the monument into a prosthetic for the mutilated conditions of public speech”


This project was a brilliant, powerful and thought provoking piece by Wodiczko. The most powerful part for me was the man talking about a bike lock. At first the bike lock seems merely a trinket he found afterwards but he went on to describe how important it really was. It was one of the only ways that his family could identify his dad’s body. Now he keeps the lock as a reminder for his children and grandchildren what happened that day. This describes something that most of us can’t fathom or even pretend to. The fact that a simple bike lock can bring home the message of the monument is a testament to the brilliance of this work.
Resources:
http://www.pbs.org/art21/artists/wodiczko/clip1.html
http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=1035373678717#
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0268/is_4_39/ai_68697138/

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