Photographs of artists who painted A-bombing works are registered at Hiroshima Peace Memorial Hall
May 15, 2017
by Kanako Noda, Staff Writer
On May 12, the Hiroshima National Peace Memorial Hall for the Atomic Bomb Victims, located in Naka Ward, announced that Iri Maruki, a Japanese-style artist who was from Asakita Ward, and his wife Toshi, a Western-style artist, have been registered at the hall and made public in the Victim’s Information Area. The couple are well known for The Hiroshima Panels, a series of paintings which depict the atomic bombing. Iri died in 1995 at the age of 94 and Toshi died in 2000 at the age of 87.
Iri Maruki learned about the A-bombing of Hiroshima while in Saitama Prefecture, where he had evacuated during World War II, and returned to Hiroshima on August 9, 1945. He walked around the ruins of the city with Toshi, who joined him about a week after he arrived in Hiroshima, and both helped with relief efforts. Based on what they saw and heard in Hiroshima, they created works showing scenes of the atomic bombing and released a co-produced work titled The Hiroshima Panels (1. GHOST) in 1950. By 1982, they had created 15 paintings to persistently spotlight the disastrous consequences of the atomic bomb and the preciousness of life.
Hisako Maruki, 61, is a children’s book author and the adopted daughter of Iri and Toshi Maruki. A resident of Higashimatsuyama, Saitama Prefecture, she donated their photographs to the Hiroshima National Peace Memorial Hall. She said, “Painting was a mission for Iri and Toshi. It’s good that their photographs are at the hall, together with the victims of the atomic bombing.”
The Hiroshima National Peace Memorial Hall for the Atomic Bomb Victims collects the names and photos of A-bomb victims and shares them with the public. As of May 11, the names and photos of 21,692 people have been registered at the hall.
(Originally published on May 15, 2017)
On May 12, the Hiroshima National Peace Memorial Hall for the Atomic Bomb Victims, located in Naka Ward, announced that Iri Maruki, a Japanese-style artist who was from Asakita Ward, and his wife Toshi, a Western-style artist, have been registered at the hall and made public in the Victim’s Information Area. The couple are well known for The Hiroshima Panels, a series of paintings which depict the atomic bombing. Iri died in 1995 at the age of 94 and Toshi died in 2000 at the age of 87.
Iri Maruki learned about the A-bombing of Hiroshima while in Saitama Prefecture, where he had evacuated during World War II, and returned to Hiroshima on August 9, 1945. He walked around the ruins of the city with Toshi, who joined him about a week after he arrived in Hiroshima, and both helped with relief efforts. Based on what they saw and heard in Hiroshima, they created works showing scenes of the atomic bombing and released a co-produced work titled The Hiroshima Panels (1. GHOST) in 1950. By 1982, they had created 15 paintings to persistently spotlight the disastrous consequences of the atomic bomb and the preciousness of life.
Hisako Maruki, 61, is a children’s book author and the adopted daughter of Iri and Toshi Maruki. A resident of Higashimatsuyama, Saitama Prefecture, she donated their photographs to the Hiroshima National Peace Memorial Hall. She said, “Painting was a mission for Iri and Toshi. It’s good that their photographs are at the hall, together with the victims of the atomic bombing.”
The Hiroshima National Peace Memorial Hall for the Atomic Bomb Victims collects the names and photos of A-bomb victims and shares them with the public. As of May 11, the names and photos of 21,692 people have been registered at the hall.
(Originally published on May 15, 2017)
