Nuclear Anxiety
Over the course of the last decade, we’ve seen a fantastic selection of work on a huge variety of different conflicts and topics related to them. Below you will find a selection of pieces entered into our international competitions, by young people from around the world. This mini series is a good starting point when considering the many different ways conflict can affect people’s lives. We hope you will dive deeper into many of the topics and learn more.
Please be aware that the information below touches on topics related to war, conflict and its effects. It may therefore not be appropriate for all audiences.
EPHEMERAL TRANQUILITY
by Eva, 14-16, South Korea
The inspiration behind the painting came from the idea that war could take one’s everyday life and normality away in such a short amount of time. This idea is demonstrated through the placement of the bomb, looking as if it is about to drop in an instant. In contrast, the rest of the scenery other than the bomb looks peaceful and tranquil, representing calm before the storm. The painting portrays a scene where a bomb is about to drop in an undisturbed, serene environment, thus the title ‘Ephemeral Tranquility’. The silhouettes of people colored in black equate to the blank spaces left behind by the war, symbolizing their death. Furthermore, the giant hand that holds the bomb depicts the people that started and initiated the war. As a whole, the painting conveys that war could take away people’s day-to-day lives in an instant.
WE ALL HAVE A SEAT AT THE TABLE
by Emile, 16-18, USA
Inspired by David Krieger’s poem “Where Did the Victims Go?”
(From his book shadow of the bomb, which discusses the implications of nuclear war)
An excerpt from the poem:
“Where else would the victims go but first
into the air, then into the water, then into the grasses,
and eventually into our food?
What does this mean?
It means that we breathe our victims,
that we drink them and eat them, without tasting
the bitterness, in our daily meals.
Using charcoal, I aim to evoke a sense of fear in my viewers and urge them to think about the magnitude of destruction nuclear weapons hold. We right now hold the power to destroy our entire world, to end the human race. No such weapons should exist. I drew much inspiration from survivors of nuclear bombs and nuclear testing and creatives who also feel strongly that a world with nuclear weapons teeters on the edge of destruction. Through my art, I advocate a world without nuclear weapons for future generations to come.
CLASH
by Jieun, 16-18, South Korea
This artwork conveys the destruction of war through symbolic elements. The broken glass, with barbed wires emerging from its holes, represents the fragility of peace and the creeping threat of violence. These barbed wires lead to a depiction of nuclear destruction, highlighting the ultimate consequence of unchecked conflict. The reflection of a crying child in the shattered glass emphasizes the innocent lives irreparably affected by war. IThis piece evokes a deep sense of empathy and a call to action against the perpetuation of violence.
GOODBYE MY DAUGHTER
by Jiyun, 14-16, USA
In the painting, a mother is hugging her daughter before going to serve in the war. She is crying in the painting because it might be the last time she gets to hug her daughter. They are painted inside the bomb explosion, and the peaceful background contrasts the chaotic bomb. The explosion also resembles a tree, which symbolizes a family tree. It shows that wars destroy families and peace.
BLOODY BREAK FROM THE NORM
by Edeline, 14-16, USA
This multimedia piece displays a charcoal drawing of children in their most natural state— innocently playing outside without a care in the world. In colored pencil are different toys that these children (and commonly many others) hold dear to their heart and love to play with. Each toy is attached by string to each respective child. Covering the whole piece is a red mesh cloth carefully stitched and taped to create folds representing the outward force, pushing the toys outwards to the periphery, caused by the bomb in the middle. The red color signifies the bloody nature of war. The depiction indicates the all consuming behavior of the bomb, representing war, and its ability to destroy all that has been and all that will be all that children know. Their opportunity of experiencing childhood and normalcy is taken away by war, represented by the toys that they have lost. The folded outward lines of the fabric are supposed to represent a break/cracking of the “perfect” life that children are supposed to live, where they don’t have a care in the world and can play with all the toys they want.
PIECE OF PEACE
by Hailey, 11-14, USA
This piece represents the affects of war on society. The doves are carrying a net full of symbols representing conflict, such as guns, bombs, falling buildings, etc. The doves symbolize peace and efforts to put an end to these damages caused. So, they are carrying away the destruction in hopes for a better tomorrow.
ON “OPPENHEIMER”
by Aliana, 16-18, Taiwan
"On 'Oppenheimer'" is a linocut print I created exploring my conflicted feelings towards the 2023 film "Oppenheimer". While I thought the movie was expertly crafted, I also found it a bit uncomfortable/awkward to watch, because my great-great-grandmother passed away in Hiroshima due to the atomic bomb. It felt weird to be watching a movie that focused solely on Oppenheimer's story and barely mentioned the innocent Japanese people whose lives he impacted so severely, including my ancestors.
The print depicts me sitting in a movie theatre turning away from the movie screen in conflict and confusion. The text reading "I mean it was a great movie, but...", which represents my conflicted feelings towards the movie. Additionally, the thought bubbles show parts of my Japanese heritage: photos of my brother labelled with his middle name "Kenji" (Japanese name), a Japanese flag, and the Japanese style porch which my grandmother passed away on. I chose to go with a linocut poster look for this piece because I wanted the piece to be a play off of a movie poster, which I thought would be fitting for my commentary on the war inspired film.
NUCLEAR: ANTAGONISM TO HUMANITY’S DESTRUCTION
by Yeowon (Stella), 14-16, USA
The bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki during World War ll were the only deployment of nuclear weapons in the history of humanity. But with the war between Russia and Ukraine currently in full swing, experts warn that this conflict could escalate into a World War lll, or a nuclear war between the United States and Europe versus Russia. Because technologies have advanced greatly compared to the 1940s, war that erupts in the modern world will come with more deadly consequences. My artwork is inspired by the threat of nuclear war to the planet. Once a full-scale nuclear war breaks out, it is most likely that humanity will be annihilated. The mankind will receive a fatal blow, with people dying from the enormous explosion itself or the carcinogenic radiation contamination afterwards. Not to mention that nature and its treasured ecosystems will undergo tremendous upheaval and irreparable damage. Through my artwork, I wanted to raise awareness to the unimaginable massacre nuclear war will pose to civilization and the fragility of the Earth against this weapon.
A VIVID DEMISE
by Marysabella, 14-16, USA
My piece, A Vivid Demise is inspired by nuclear war and its long lasting effects on our world. The piece shows a man representing the future and a woman representing the past. The woman is disappointed in humanity’s destruction of the earth and the man is still dealing with the war’s effects hundreds of years later.
WATCHING THE MUSHROOM CLOUD RISE
by Ava, 16-18, USA
The scene is a play on how some couples watch the sunset or sunrise together, however, the sun is replaced by an atomic bomb explosion. Nuclear weapons are often threatened during wartimes, and certain bombs are already widely used against civilians. Therefore, important moments in everyone’s life like ones involving love are ruined or prevented from happening because of war. I decided to use oil pastels to try to invoke a more cloudy or dusty style to match with the darker mood of the scene. The two figures are wearing blue for that is the color of peace, and are relatively ambiguous in their race or ethnicity to show how war can affect everyone and does affect everyone.
HOPE AND HEALING
by Thanh Ngân, 16-18, Vietnam
I want to talk about Sasaki Sadako, she was a victim of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima Japan in 1945. With dedication and determination, she folded 1,000 paper cranes in the hope it would bring her the health and happiness she desired. Unfortunately, she eventually passed away. But her story has since become synonymous with fighting the disease and seeking a better world, and paper cranes have emerged as a symbol of peace and nuclear disarmament.
When thinking about war, people often think about the pain and damage. Sadako is a victim of war, but I wanted to paint hopes and dreams for the future, that even though there is suffering, love, hope, and desire still exist. It is the hope of a better, more peaceful world.
The girl in the painting could be Sadako or anyone who is a victim of war, Paper cranes symbolize the desire for hope, I want us to join hands to fold a paper crane, stand up against war, protect peace, towards a beautiful life.
M.A.D.
by Irene, 16-18, USA
Mutually Assured Destruction (M.A.D.) is the concept that demonstrates how weapons like nuclear missiles and bombs, if ever used, wouldn’t end up benefitting anyone because of the extreme casualties they would cause for both sides. This artwork reflects on what the aftermath of that theory would look like by depicting a desolate landscape with the iconic fist of the Statue of Liberty poking out above the drastically impacted land. The man standing next to the wrist, whom the viewer can assume is Russian, tells his president that the “job” is finally done, but as he looks out at the horizon, he seems to wonder, “At what cost?”. Instead of looking into the past, by looking into a potential future where no one wins, this art piece aims to show the futility of some wars and why such conflict should be avoided.
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