The artist sees his creation as a thing of beauty and he wants other people to see it's beauty as well, but to also stop and realize that this is also a weapon of mass destruction.
Reactions to the piece of work have been from dismay to admiration.
The artist, a 62-year-old Venice, California resident, said the idea for the bomb took root in the early 1970s when he was a professional water show diver working in Japan. There, he visited Hiroshima Peace Park.
The work reveals what many American's feel about the end of World War II and the use of the atomic weapons on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Some American's are horrified that these weapons were ever used and feel there was no justification for using them. While others strongly feel the weapons ended the war early and saved thousands of American soldiers lives by preventing the necessity of an invasion of Japan.
My personal feelings have changed over time. I used to also think that the use of these bombs was necessary. But the more I have thought about it in recent years, the more I realize that there is never a necessity to bomb civilians, women and especially children.
(Los Angeles Times)
The Hiroshima Peace Park is such a powerful place. I think anyone considering starting a war needs to go there first.
ReplyDeleteSorry.. also meant to say.... art can be a wonderful thing to stimulate discussion and argument, which it sounds like this piece has, which is a great thing.
ReplyDeleteI'm far more offended by movies that glorify and romantise war. I've seen scenes in movies with battle scenes to classical movie sound tracks instead of the horrible sounds of people being killed and the camera has then panned to some beautiful light streaming through the trees. Personally, I think that is in bad taste.
Thank you melanie. I agree with you. This artisst appears to have wanted to make people think which is good.
ReplyDeleteI also agree with you about the movies. One war movie that moved me more then any to see the horrors of war was Saving Private Ryan. That was an incredible movie that showed what soldiers go through.