2022
THIS AGE OF OURS
Unprimed canvas, spray paint, print on aluminum Dibond
36 x 48 x 3 in.
This Age of Ours is a mixed-media painting that examines the juxtaposition between peace, sacrifice, and the enduring echoes of historical trauma. At its heart lies a canvas adorned with a vibrant red peace sign, emblazoned with poignant inquiries in black spray-painted script: "Whose sacrifice?" and "Whose Peace?"
Central to this evocative composition is a black-and-white photograph that protrudes from the canvas, occupying the center stage of the artwork. The inverted image captures an impactful moment—a goat exposed to the devastating radiation of an A-bomb blast on Bikini Atoll Island. In a poignant visual juxtaposition, the goat receives a blood transfusion administered by three masked doctors at the Bethesda Naval Medical Research Institute, MD, in the aftermath of the blast. This historical photograph, captured by George Skadding in 1946, evokes a haunting testament to the repercussions of nuclear warfare and the interplay between sacrifice, survival, and scientific intervention.
2022
THIS AGE OF OURS
Unprimed canvas, spray paint, print on aluminum Dibond
36 x 48 x 3 in.
This Age of Ours is a mixed-media painting that examines the juxtaposition between peace, sacrifice, and the enduring echoes of historical trauma. At its heart lies a canvas adorned with a vibrant red peace sign, emblazoned with poignant inquiries in black spray-painted script: "Whose sacrifice?" and "Whose Peace?"
Central to this evocative composition is a black-and-white photograph that protrudes from the canvas, occupying the center stage of the artwork. The inverted image captures an impactful moment—a goat exposed to the devastating radiation of an A-bomb blast on Bikini Atoll Island. In a poignant visual juxtaposition, the goat receives a blood transfusion administered by three masked doctors at the Bethesda Naval Medical Research Institute, MD, in the aftermath of the blast. This historical photograph, captured by George Skadding in 1946, evokes a haunting testament to the repercussions of nuclear warfare and the interplay between sacrifice, survival, and scientific intervention.
© 2023 by Kei Ito.
Created on Editor X.
Sungazing
2015 - Ongoing
108 of 8”x10” prints, Scroll: 12” x 150’ to 220’ depending on the edition
On August 6th 1945, at 8:15 AM, my grandfather witnessed a great tragedy that destroyed nearly everything in Hiroshima. He survived the bombing, yet he lost many of his family members from the explosion and radiation poisoning. As an activist and author, my grandfather fought against the use of nuclear weaponry throughout his life, until he too passed away from cancer when I was ten years old. I remember him saying that day in Hiroshima was like hundreds of suns lighting up the sky.
In order to express the connection between the sun and my family history, I have created 108 letter size prints and a 200 foot long scroll, made by exposing Type-C photographic paper to sunlight. The pattern on the prints/scroll corresponds to my breath. In a darkened room, I pulled the paper in front of a small aperture to expose it to the sun while inhaling, and paused when exhaling. I repeated this action until I breathed 108 times. 108 is a number with ritual significance in Japanese Buddhism; to mark the Japanese New Year, bells toll 108 times, ridding us of our evil passions and desires, and purifying our souls.
If the black parts of the print remind you of a shadow, it is the shadow of my breath, which is itself a registration of my life, a life I share with and owe to my grandfather. The mark of the atomic blast upon his life and upon his breath was passed on to me, and you can see it as the shadow of this print.