The Invitation
Hiroshima: From Me To You
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Summary:
In remembrance of the 50th anniversary of the atomic event in Hiroshima, artists from around the globe are invited to send a small work or work on paper through the mails to Hiroshima. The "messages" may take the form of any media, but must not be larger than 8 x 10" 20.5×20.5 cm). All messages should reach Japan by July 30, 1995. An exhibition of the worldwide responses is scheduled for August 10-15 at the Fukuya Art Gallery in Hiroshima to coincide with the August 6th anniversary. It will then travel to Tokyo and the United States. Ultimately an auction of the work will be held to benefit the Hibaku-koroshya Seikatu Enjyobuppin, a Japanese foundation which provides aid for the hibakushas, or survivors, of the 1945 atomic bombing. Purpose: At this volatile moment in history, when many of the worlds nuclear stockpiles have suddenly become less secure, it is more essential than ever that we recognize the consequences of failed human communication. It is equally necessary and appropriate that we remember the very real destruction those arsenals can cause. The explosion in Hiroshima not only devastated that city but also generated an emotional debris that continues its fallout today, and we all bear the weight of that event in 1945. Despite the national and cultural differences that separate people throughout the world, we must all of us realize that our futures lie in mutual understanding and cooperation. By remembering the people of Hiroshima and the events of 1945, Hiroshima: From Me To You seeks to remind us of our common humanity and our common destinies. |
My thanks as always to Cathy Lebowitz, Senior Editor at Art in America, for her many kindnesses to me during the years I directed the Philippe Staib Gallery, and afterwards. It was typical of her to have posted this notice — without my prodding — when I told her of the project and sent out the first flurry of invitations.
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