Strategic Dialogue and Exchange Program

Sasakawa Peace Foundation and Surin Pitsuwan Foundation hold art exhibition in Thailand to reflect on the tragedies of war in efforts to promote a peaceful society

Professional artists and A-bomb survivor share artworks at Jim Thompson Art Center

By Sofia Emina Takahashi, Communications Officer

February 16, 2024

9 Min. Read

The Sasakawa Peace Foundation (SPF) partnered with the Surin Pitsuwan Foundation in Thailand to organize “Echoed Tranquility,” an exhibition bringing together several artists, including a survivor of the Hiroshima atomic bombing, to display works evoking images of past conflict and exploring the impact of war and the recovery that comes after.

The exhibition, held at the Jim Thompson Art Center in Bangkok, ran from December 6 to December 20, 2023, and displayed paintings by A-bomb survivor and enamel artist Toshiko Tanaka, a new series by Thai creator Pratchaya Phinthong, and a 3D animation video by Vietnamese American multimedia artist Dinh Q. Lê. The exhibition also showcased several drawings and paintings borrowed from the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum, which provided support for this event alongside the Embassy of Japan in Thailand.

The Sasakawa Peace Foundation and Surin Pitsuwan Foundation held an art exhibition at the Jim Thompon Art Center in Thailand, welcoming A-bomb survivor and enamel artist Toshiko Tanaka.

A dialogue event was also held during the exhibition, encouraging discussions between the artists and members of the public to raise awareness about the impact of war on human lives and foster a desire for a peaceful society that is not based on the use of force or violence.

This event was held as part of the “Dialogue and Resonance in Asia” project, led by the Asia and Middle East Program of SPF, to support research and collaboration to address the common challenges in Japan and other Asian countries. The program invited Ms. Tanaka to introduce her unique enamel artwork, which reflects her experience as an A-bomb survivor and concerns as a peace advocate. Ms. Tanaka is a renowned artist and actively involved with peace activities and education around the world. She has shared her account traveling with the Peace Boat and visiting schools overseas, raising awareness about global issues and advocating for a world free of nuclear weapons.

Paintings by A-bomb survivors

Illustrations by Japanese high school students who listened to the stories of other A-bomb survivors

From left: "Millennium Gift," "Inochi-no-ki," and "Tree of Hiroshima" by Toshiko Tanaka

During an interview with Ms. Tanaka during her stay in Bangkok, she reflected on what motivated her to share her stories with the international community, explaining that her art not only represents her experience as an A-bomb survivor and her desire for the elimination of nuclear weapons, but also emphasizes the preciousness of life. “Although a lot of my artwork stems from my memories of experiencing the nuclear disaster, I am also concerned about other issues like global warming and the rise of CO₂, and this is subconsciously incorporated into my art. When I think about the disasters that could cause the extinction of life, I can’t help but wonder if I can raise awareness, and that is why I share my stories across the globe.”

Ms. Tanaka hopes that visitors to the exhibition would take back a direct message from her artwork. “Being an A-bomb survivor, it is impossible for us [humans] to live with nuclear weapons on this earth. Although I made these enamel paintings 30 or 40 years ago, my mind hasn’t changed. I no longer want to look back on the tragedies of war.”

Two world-class artists share their perspectives on the concept of conflict

3D animation video "South China Sea Pishkun" by Dinh Q. Lê

In addition to Ms. Tanaka, artists Pratchaya Phinthong and Dinh Q. Lê showcased their pieces at the exhibition with the central message of searching for peace after conflict. Dinh Q. Lê displayed a visual image of animated military helicopters sporadically crashing into the South China Sea, mixing in the animated imagery with actual footage of ocean waves. Titled “South China Sea Pishkun,” the media depicts the fall of Saigon during the Vietnam War when U.S. aircraft evacuated people from South Vietnam. It’s the first piece the audience would see when entering the exhibition hall as it is projected on a screen directly in front of the entrance, which was designed to evoke the dual meaning reflected in the exhibition name “Echoed Tranquility.”

In his new series of works called “The Organ of Destiny,” Pratchaya Phinthong displayed repurposed munition scraps from Laos, which have been pieced together to resemble mirrors that can be used to treat phantom limb syndrome, a condition in which patients experience sensations of pain in a missing body part. After arriving to the exhibition space to finalize the artwork display, Mr. Phinthong made a last-minute change to his installation, deciding to lean his mirrors against the crate that transported Ms. Tanaka’s paintings from Japan to Thailand, reflecting the word “fragile” to convey how people continuously struggle to move on after conflict, encountering moments of pain and tranquility.

“The Organ of Destiny” by Pratchaya Phinthong

Mr. Phinthong placed his artwork against the crate that carried Ms.Tanaka's paintings.

Toshiko Tanaka and Pratchaya Phinthong exchange ideas on peace at dialogue event

During a dialogue event led by Ms. Tanaka and Mr. Phinthong on December 7, the two artists shared their experiences and inspiration behind their works. Ms. Tanaka gave her personal account of the Hiroshima atomic bombing and brought in examples of modern conflict, including the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the Hamas-Israel conflict, stressing that a peaceful society is not achievable while weapons that can cause mass destruction still exist.

Regarding her peace activities around the world and interactions with other survivors of war, she observed the positive impact art has on those affected by conflict and how it can be a great tool for peace education, saying that “art has the power to comfort people's hearts and inspire courage.” She also reflected on her exchanges within Asia and the friendships she developed, which have inspired her to continue sharing her experiences and work towards lasting peace.

Mr. Phinthong shared the inspiration behind his work with the audience, explaining that it comes from Canadian activist Stephan Sumner who distributes mirrors to amputees in Southeast Asia and teaches them the therapy that relieved his own phantom limb pain. For this project, Mr. Phinthong collaborated with Napia Village in Laos, one of the many villages where people are repurposing materials from unexploded bombs left over from the Vietnam War to build homes and use as items for everyday life.

From left: Thai creator Pratchaya Phinthong and Ms. Tanaka answer questions from the audience during the dialogue event.

He also reflected on his work and its relationship with conflict. “Things unfold when you are on the ground, and I question how I can connect all the pieces,” he said, adding that it is important to create a space to speak up about the conflicts many people around the world are facing. He also expressed his satisfaction with the exhibition, which featured an array of pieces from the unique perspective of each artist.

The remarks of the two artists left a lasting impression on the audience members, with some commenting that Ms. Tanaka’s ability to overcome her trauma and transform it into intricate pieces of artwork was inspiring. “Seeing her artwork first and then listening to her account at the dialogue made me think about how artists can be really powerful in carrying this intergenerational message. She has a very unique quality of positivity within her,” said a student who attended the event. After observing various artworks interact with each other, a woman from Thailand commented on the synergy between the artists and how more collaboration is necessary.

Revisiting Hiroshima’s transformation and hope for future generations

As part of the Echoed Tranquility exhibition, Ms. Tanaka and Sachiyo Ito, program officer of SPF’s Asia and Middle East Program, visited Silpakorn University on December 8 for a seminar entitled “Bombed and Reborn – Personal Stories on Hiroshima’s Transformation."

Sachiyo Ito, program officer at SPF

Ms. Ito, who also hails from Hiroshima, gave a presentation on the history of the reconstruction of Hiroshima and the revitalization of social infrastructure. She showed the audience examples of iconic architecture located in Hiroshima, which was built to preserve and express the prayers for peace after the disaster, and explained that the city’s reconstruction would not have been made possible without the input of A-bomb survivors and citizens. “I was born in Hiroshima 38 years after the atomic bombing. However, being given this chance to look back on the history of Hiroshima’s reconstruction, I have also realized that the citizens of Hiroshima and the artists who were involved in the design of these buildings were united in their efforts to rebuild the city,” she reflected as she ended her presentation.

Ms. Tanaka, after sharing her account of the Hiroshima bombing, underlined the importance of establishing trust amongst each other to achieve a peaceful society and prevent conflict from arising, encouraging the students in the audience to continue making friends around the world. Prior to the seminar, she also made an additional appeal to young people, expressing her hopes for a better future. “Conflict continues and we humans are not progressing, but I still have hope. We still come together and hold events like these. When I see young people support and participate, it makes me so happy I could cry. Young people have this energy within them that can awaken change.”

Ms. Tanaka expressed her desire to continue creating new artworks and hopes future generations will work together for a peaceful and sustainable society.

Additional resources

Read the Japanese translation here.
Read the stand alone interview article with Toshiko Tanaka here.

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