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 ways nuclear anxiety can affect young people’s lives. It was curated as part of a wider project alongside Dr Patrícia Nabuco Martuscelli, Lecturer in International Relations at the University of Sheffield and Dr Leonardo Bandarra, Senior Researcher at the University of Duisburg-Essen. We also had support from Charlie Batori, a student at Dalhousie University.
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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IRREVERSIBLE DESTRUCTION
by Tiffany, 14-16, Canada
Preventing future wars is a complex challenge with no simple answers. A Google or ChatGPT search will provide many responses, but I believe anti-war education is the most powerful tool. This reminded me of Einstein’s words: “I know not with what weapons World War III will be fought, but World War IV will be fought with sticks and stones.” This made me think of Hiroshima—the atomic bomb that wiped out a city and killed hundreds of thousands. The unprecedented use of nuclear weapons in war remains a haunting reminder of destruction. To capture this, I sketched Hiroshima in ruins, stretching across the page like a scar on history. But the drawing alone was not enough—I wanted something tangible. I found a rock and a wooden stick—symbols of what humanity might be reduced to if another world war happens. I placed them on my artwork as a warning, urging people to ensure Einstein’s prediction never becomes reality. War destroys not just cities but lives, futures, and hope.
With the Russia-Ukraine war ongoing and peace negotiations uncertain, this issue is more pressing than ever. If my artwork makes people stop and think, perhaps that is the best way to prevent another war.
THE SHADOW OF THE MUSHROOM CLOUD
by Josie, 16-18, Canada
An anti-war art piece made from cotton and cardboard. It tells a story about war’s destruction and the fragile beauty of peace. Inspired by the atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and the wars still happening today, the artwork uses simple materials to send a powerful message.
At the top left, a dark gray cotton mushroom cloud—shaped with clay and sticks—hangs heavily, like a warning of nuclear danger. Below it, a cardboard house lies torn and broken, showing how war crushes homes and lives. In front, a small intact house stands with neatly painted windows and a door, symbolizing the quiet strength of peace.
Building this wasn’t easy: the cotton cloud kept collapsing, so I used sticks and hot glue to hold it up. The LED light inside the cloud looked too harsh at first, but adding more cotton layers softened the glow. The cardboard houses were lightweight and wobbly, but a heavy base kept everything steady.
The piece asks viewers to look closer.From the hopeful house to the ruins, and finally to the looming cloud. It’s a reminder of what we lose to violence and what we gain by choosing peace.
GAME THEORY AND WAR PREVENTION
by Emma Sophie, 11-14, USA
War has long been part of human history. I have always wondered why nations would go to devastating war instead of seeking a compromise through negotiation? Would it be possible to stop people from fighting wars if we teach political leaders about compassion and sympathy? While compassion is an important human quality, it alone is not enough. Conflicts often arise from complex strategic interactions, different political and ideological interests, and the pursuit of power, which are not always swayed by emotional considerations.
My interest in understanding human behavior and decision-making was shaped by my fascination with game theory. It studies how people make decisions based on their expectations of others’ actions. The Cuban Missile Crisis was a classic example. As part of the Cold War between the United States and Soviet Union, both countries had to weigh the potential gains and losses of their next steps. The concept of Mutual Assured Destruction eventually convinced both sides to negotiate rather than going to a nuclear war, which would have destroyed the entire world.
While game theory might not be sufficient on its own, it offers a pragmatic framework for modeling conflict, deterrence, and cooperation, offering potential routes for peaceful resolutions.
MUTATED WOUND
by YiWen, 16-18, China
Nuclear weapons are among the world's most fearsome weapons, and their impact on both people and nature cannot be underestimated. At 8:15 a.m. on August 6, 1945, American troops dropped an atomic bomb on the Japanese city of Hiroshima, killing hundreds of thousands of people. Nuclear weapons will burn people's skin, destroy their DNA, and turn every living thing in the land into a monster. My work "Mutated Wounds" hopes to appeal to people to reject war and reject nuclear weapons.
THE SEA THAT SLEEPS FOREVER
by Ruixi, 9-11, China
With the discharge of nuclear sewage in Japan, people are in a panic. My work takes the theme of opposing the discharge of nuclear sewage as a warning. I use vivid black and white to represent the polluted sea water in black, and white represents the area of human activities. The tears of the dove cry are the voice for the ocean, hoping that the home can be saved and protected, so that all people can work together for the future of the earth.
1986
by Xing, 16-18, China
The artwork is created to reflect the Chernobyl disaster in Ukraine. The background behind painted the moment of explosion when nuclear reactor power plant was released into the air, causing hundred thousands of casualties. The string pull painting outline a Chernobyl cleaner wearing the liquidator suit. The green strings is an imitation of the radioactive rays in respond the nuclear explosion.
THE SILENCE OF ANGUISH
by Oluwadarasimi, 11-14, Nigeria
My inspiration for this piece originated from the need to reveal the misery, horror, torment and agony of a young child who has witnessed War. My motivation was drawn from the experiences of thousands of children who survived the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Russia, Ukraine and Gaza and insurgencies in Sub-Sahara Africa. The effect of these is that thousands of children were displaced, orphaned and traumatised by war and insurgent activities.
The despair of the child depicts a cry for help. A plea for the War to end, for him to be reunited with his family and for the world to be at peace. In the face of the lingering anguish, he sought for comfort in a world that lacked empathy for innocent children. Though the child's voice was silenced by brazen gunfires and missiles, his resilience demonstrates the strength of a child in the face of unimaginable atrocities . Hence, the title of my art work: THE TRAUMA OF WAR served as a poignant reminder of the human cost of war and the importance of protecting our young citizens from the ravages of conflict.
MAN RETURNING TO MOURN NAGASAKI & HIROSHIMA
by Eliska, 11-14, New Zealand
Inspired by a photo of a man returning to Hiroshima.
UNREST
by Abigail, 16-18, United States
My conflict is about the Battle of Hiroshima which was one of the deadliest battle in the marine corps. I'm trying to say that despite this conflict then leading to the bombing of Japan, the United states now celebrates peacefully and patriotically, and that after war there is a calmness but even so it is unsettling because war may still occur. It reflects "Life After Conflict" as after conflict there is that calmness but still there may be turmoil where one is afraid if this calmness will remain so i wanted to demonstrate that.
THE ATOMIC DAWN
by Ignacia, 11-14, Indonesia
HIBAKUSHA
by Catalina, 16-18, France
I decided to focus on the American atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945 after reading articles surrounding the 75th anniversary of VJ day. While researching the events and reading survivor testimonies, I was shocked not only by the immediate devastation wrought on the cities and their inhabitants, but also by the lasting physical and psychological effects on survivors. This poem combines elements of several true stories and addresses the stigma surrounding a ‘Hibakusha’, or atomic bomb survivor. I was struck by the injustice that after watching people die in ghastly ways, losing homes and family members, and themselves suffering from radiation poisoning, the victims of the nuclear weapon attacks were feared, shunned, and - very often - silenced.
The word shackles her ankles, crawling up
the keloid scars and rough patches of skin
to scrawl itself over her face. Hibakusha.
Roaring out of the past, a white flash and
mushroom cloud of fire swells over the
horizon. She remembers walking over
the bodies melting into the debris,
blackened shadows on the concrete
howling a desperate plea for water.
Three days later, they found her father’s
buckle among his bones. She buried him
alone, her mother turned to ash in the sky.
Now, clutching her fiancé’s hand,
she feels a family slip away once more.
His parents remember the bomb
and shy away from her Devil’s blood,
shaking their heads and pressing
images of children with stumps for arms
into their son’s brain. Hibakusha. She
reaches up a hand to trace his cheekbone
in reassurance, but he has turned cold.
So, unlocking their fingers, she drops the
ring into his palm, tiptoes to kiss his
cheek, and turns towards a future as
dust-clouded as the past:
Hibakusha. A nickname she will never outgrow.
I’m cold and alone in the darkness,
with only an emergency alarm that flickers.
No one has visited me for months.
I know many of my kind are scattered around the countryside.
I wait for the time I am used,
but I know the horror it will bring.
An ancestor caused a massive mushroom cloud.
Its shockwave killed people from every walk of life.
|My power of destruction is 30 times more devastating than Little Boy.|
I can picture myself launching on a clear summer day,
traveling with haste.
I would scream in the air,
my mind filled with the idea of nearly blowing up a whole country.
That capability is why I hope I am never used,
and simply destroyed for scrap.
I would wish for my metal to be used for a wheelchair.
But, the fact that I remain in my silo keeps peace in my nation and for my allies.
THE POWER TO PREVENT WAR
by Neo, 11-14, South Korea
Living beside a couple nuclear armed countries, I fear that my small nation (South Korea) might one day be destroyed. It seems that those nations keep peace in the region through the destruction they can cause. North Korea still stands today in part because of their decision to arm themselves.
If there is a World War III, it is said that the next war would be fought with sticks and stones. That implies that nuclear warfare would largely wipe out human civilization. That thought keeps the peace.
LITTLE BOY
by Lauren B., 16-18, Scotland
In this poignant piece, the author reflects on the creation and devastating impact of the atomic bomb known as "Little Boy," dropped on Hiroshima in 1945. Through vivid imagery and emotive language, the poem explores the human toll of nuclear warfare, highlighting the widespread suffering and long-lasting effects on communities beyond the immediate blast zone. The author questions the rationale behind the proliferation of nuclear weapons by various nations, expressing concern over the potential catastrophic consequences in the hands of unpredictable leaders. Ultimately, the poem serves as a solemn reminder of the urgent need for global cooperation and disarmament to safeguard humanity from the horrors of nuclear destruction.
The “little boy” created in 1945
Was the first of its kind
A wonder, a marvel of humankind
Was made by great minds
So it was aligned to hit a target
Hiroshima in mind
But they were so blind to see what was their demise on August 6, 1945
Approximately 140,000 people to die by “little boy”
But let’s not be blind. Neighboring cities, towns, villages even countries nearby
Were affected by all kinds: cancer, radiation poisoning, broken bones, burns and the mental scars of what they’ve seen or what they heard
We can say that we left nuclear bombs behind
But isn’t that blind somewhat an awful lie?
Do have I do you remind you In 2022,
I find out that 9 countries had made their own renditions of “little boy”
United States, Russia, United Kingdom, France, China, India, Pakistan, North
Korea, and Israel
Why do we do this?
Didn’t the cries of Hiroshima
Remind us of the consequences of nuclear bombs?
Didn’t their lives matter enough to make us stop?
Why did we do this?
I know they are used for our defense
A weapon to show other countries to mind what they do
But in other countries, can't we trust them enough, through and through?
I mean what if their leader is someone unkind, someone out of their mind
And they have power that can wipe out mankind
What will we do?
I know that it’s not my decision to make
But I worry for someone who has this fate
As this cruel fate, as this fate is unkind
All I can truly say is
that I truly worry about mankind
