The aftermath of the disaster caused a severe nuclear accident at the Fukushima Daiichi power plant. Four explosions and three meltdowns resulted in massive releases of radioactivity into the air, land and sea. 13 years later, the consequences of the tragedy are still difficult to assess. A total of 19,765 people lost their lives, 2,553 were reported missing and over 20,000 people have been forced to flee their homes.
In response to this immense tragedy, Japanese artists mobilized to understand and portray the many dimensions of the disaster. Many photographers traveled to the affected areas and returned regularly over the years to document the destruction, the ongoing effects of contamination, and the slow reconstruction.
Their work has captured not only the visible traces of the disaster – the destroyed landscapes, the vanished communities and the suffering of the people – but also the invisible: the presence of radioactivity and its long-term consequences. Through art, issues of social injustice, inequality and discrimination that have affected the inhabitants of the region have come into focus. For many artists, creating a visual memory that both bears witness to the past and illuminates the future struggle for justice and recovery has become crucial.
The exhibition’s curators are Philippe Séclier and Marina Amada.
Exhibition originally produced and presented as part of the 55th edition of Les Rencontres d’Arles
