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Many hands contributed to Hiroshima Appeals Poster

by Kohei Okata, Staff Writer

This year’s Hiroshima Appeals Poster is ready. On August 1, graphic designer Masuteru Aoba, 69, a Tokyo resident, announced the completion of his work at Hiroshima City Hall. The word “PEACE” stamped repeatedly by a large number of people forms the design. Aoba asked the public to participate to symbolize the importance of cultivating peace consciousness in each person.

The name is “Grassroots Stamp Poster.” Mr. Aoba went through networks of fellow designers and peace activists to get the maximum participation from the public on his poster. They could make their impressions where they wanted on the paper, choosing from 30 stamps of slightly different font and size. He composed the final piece on his computer: a sun-like sphere floating on top of a photo of the mushroom cloud superimposed with the letters “NO.” Mr. Aoba said, “I tried to convey our responsibility to create peace as a collective effort.”

This poster marks the 11th time the Hiroshima International Culture Foundation, chaired by Nobuko Yamamoto, and the Japan Graphic Designer Association have collaborated on this project. The 3,500 posters (B1 size) printed will be available for 1050 yen at Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum and major bookstores in the city. From August 5 to 10, the 11 Hiroshima Appeals Posters will be displayed in the building of the former Bank of Japan, Hiroshima Branch.

(Originally published on August 2, 2008)

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