Portraits of the parents and younger sister of Iri Maruki, painter known for the “Hiroshima Panels,” registered at the Hiroshima National Peace Memorial Hall
Aug. 28, 2024
by Michio Shimotaka, Staff Writer
On August 27, the Hiroshima National Peace Memorial Hall for the Atomic Bomb Victims, located in Hiroshima’s Naka Ward, announced it had newly registered the portraits of three family members of Iri Maruki, a painter known for the “Hiroshima Panels.” They are Suma, Iri’s mother and a painter, (died in 1956 at the age of 81), Kinsuke, his father (died in 1946 at the age of 73), and Aya Daido, his younger sister and a painter (died in 2010 at the age of 101).
According to the Memorial Hall, three people experienced the atomic bombing at their home in Mitaki-machi (now part of Nishi Ward), about 2.2 kilometers from the hypocenter. Suma took up her paintbrush after the age of 70 and began painting dogs, cats, birds and others as her subjects. She also created the painting that described the scenes immediately after the atomic bombing. Ms. Daido created picture books, including the 2002 work Hiroshima ni genbaku ga otosareta toki (in English, When an atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima), which was based on her own atomic bomb experience.
Portraits of Suma and Kinsuke were drawn by Toshi, Iri’s wife who produced the “Hiroshima Panels” in collaboration with Iri. Tokiwako, 79, a relative of Iri’s who lives in Nishi Ward and submitted the portraits, said, “As it is becoming difficult to hear firsthand the stories from atomic bomb survivors, I hope young people who see the ‘Hiroshima Panels’ and the portraits will think that war should never happen.” She also submitted the family portrait of the three, Iri and Toshi, taken before the atomic bombing, for registration.
For information on registering portraits of atomic bomb survivors, please call the Memorial Hall at 082-543-6271.
(Originally published on August 28, 2024)
On August 27, the Hiroshima National Peace Memorial Hall for the Atomic Bomb Victims, located in Hiroshima’s Naka Ward, announced it had newly registered the portraits of three family members of Iri Maruki, a painter known for the “Hiroshima Panels.” They are Suma, Iri’s mother and a painter, (died in 1956 at the age of 81), Kinsuke, his father (died in 1946 at the age of 73), and Aya Daido, his younger sister and a painter (died in 2010 at the age of 101).
According to the Memorial Hall, three people experienced the atomic bombing at their home in Mitaki-machi (now part of Nishi Ward), about 2.2 kilometers from the hypocenter. Suma took up her paintbrush after the age of 70 and began painting dogs, cats, birds and others as her subjects. She also created the painting that described the scenes immediately after the atomic bombing. Ms. Daido created picture books, including the 2002 work Hiroshima ni genbaku ga otosareta toki (in English, When an atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima), which was based on her own atomic bomb experience.
Portraits of Suma and Kinsuke were drawn by Toshi, Iri’s wife who produced the “Hiroshima Panels” in collaboration with Iri. Tokiwako, 79, a relative of Iri’s who lives in Nishi Ward and submitted the portraits, said, “As it is becoming difficult to hear firsthand the stories from atomic bomb survivors, I hope young people who see the ‘Hiroshima Panels’ and the portraits will think that war should never happen.” She also submitted the family portrait of the three, Iri and Toshi, taken before the atomic bombing, for registration.
For information on registering portraits of atomic bomb survivors, please call the Memorial Hall at 082-543-6271.
(Originally published on August 28, 2024)
