Edinburgh: Consequences. Art and Activism in the Nuclear Age

Aug 16th, 2022

Consequences. Art and Activism in the Nuclear Age organised by Peace & Justice (Scotland) in partnership with the Scottish Poetry Library is being launched at the Edinburgh Festival this Friday, 19 August.

The exhibition presents a selection of over 20 artist's films, photography, works on paper, sound art, inflatable sculptures and poetry by 20 Scottish and international artists to be experienced during the 75th anniversary of Edinburgh International Festival from 16 August until 3 September 2022 at the Out of the Blue Drill Hall - the community arts space dubbed 'the beating heart of Leith'.

The organisers say: "The exhibition has emerged within a context of fear, but also of hope. Fear, because of recent threats of nuclear weapons use alongside continuing modernisation and expansion of nuclear arsenals, but also hope because the UN's Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) which was adopted in 2017 and entered into force in 2021.

"The inaugural meeting of countries that have joined took place in June 2022, where they recognised the contribution made by the 600 plus civil society organisations - including Peace & Justice (Scotland) - that comprise the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN) Nobel Peace Laureate in 2017.

"Collectively, the works explore the catastrophic, widespread and persistent humanitarian and environmental consequences posed by the Russian invasion of Ukraine - another terrible reminder of the nuclear knife-edge on which the world is precariously balanced, as well as the ramifications of the nuclear power accidents at Chernobyl and Fukushima, and the dropping and testing of the atomic bomb in Japan, Kazakhstan and the Marshall Islands."

Artists featured include Es Devlin (England), Ian Dodds (Scotland), Maxim Dondyuk (Ukraine), Alla Georgieva (Ukraine/Bulgaria), Su Grierson (Scotland), Janis Hart (Scotland), Madelon Hooykaas (The Netherlands), Kathy Jetnil-Kijiner (USA), Peter Kennard (England), Dan Lin (USA), Alena Rogozhkina (Ukraine/Scotland), Keiko Sato (Japan/The Netherlands), Makana (USA), Pam Skelton (England), Elena Subach (Ukraine), Daria Svertilova (Ukraine), Edward Thompson (England), Mare Tralla (Estonia/England), Machiko Weston (Japan/England) and Helen Zhgir (Ukraine).

The launch on Friday will start at 6pm with an informal preview of all the works in the Main Hall, the Cutting and Music Rooms of the Out of the Blue Drill Hall, in the presence of the artists featured in Consequences Ian Dodds, Alena Rogozhkina, Pam Skelton and Mare Tralla.

At 7pm the event will continue in the Rehearsal Studio with poetry readings by both Ukrainian and Scottish poets. It will be a hybrid event with Ukrainian poets Kateryna Babkina, Natalka Bilotserkivets and Lyubov Sirota joining us live from various locations, including Ukraine. The Scottish poets joining us in person and on screen include Kathleen Jamie , Gerry Loose, Jim Mackintosh, Alan Spence and Samuel Tongue.

The poetry readings will be followed at 9pm by book signings - an opportunity to continue the conversation while previewing the exhibition. The Drill Hall Cafe will be open for refreshments.

The exhibition Consequences. Art and Activism in the Nuclear Age runs 16 August - 3 September 2022 at the Out of the Blue Drill Hall. Free and open daily Monday-Saturday 10am-5pm (except Saturday 27 August 2022).

For more information and bookings see:

www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/consequences-art-and-activism-in-the-nuclear-age-exhibition-launch-tickets-385837068057

The Consequences exhibition is the culmination of Peace Cranes - a project exploring the twin existential threats of nuclear weapons and climate change. Initiated and produced by Peace & Justice (Scotland), the Peace Cranes project is curated by Iliyana Nedkova and Heather Kiernan since 2020 through a series of contemporary art exhibitions and events about peace, people and planet, held across Edinburgh. Delivered with the support of a range of partners, volunteers, backers and funders. The artists featured in 2020 and 2021 included Leo Ashizawa, Jeff Brown, Michael Mears, Chihiro Ono, You-Ri Yamanaka, Ian Dodds, Janis Hart, Peter Kennard, Michael Mears, Donna Riddington, Pam Skelton and You-Ri Yamanaka.