Painting Hiroshima

[@jennyleeder8586]

Are you trying some new cinematography? It's a nice change

[@kidsamsa]

I agree with you about the humanity of the work. It’s something I’ve found shockingly prevalent in art and writing by atomic bomb survivors: a sincere desire to end all war and a sincere belief that such a goal can be achieved. I think the lack of human perpetrators in their traumatic memories, at least not in the visceral sense, makes the violence itself the “enemy” of their stories. Without an evil face to compare one’s own to, the only thing to blame is war as a concept. I think it’s most clear for the Marukis in painting IV: Rainbow, XIII: Death of the American POWs, and XIV: Crows. The first two depict American POWs who died in the blast, with any survivors killed upon discovery, and the last one depicts Korean corpses that were the last to be disposed of. Everyone who suffered is mourned, no matter what. All of the paintings seem very concerned with dignity, as well. Despite their horrifying state, you can see a clear effort to maintain a sense of beauty in the human form. It’s clear the Maruki’s have nothing but compassion for those affected by war, and their work comes from a desire to share that feeling.

[@kidmohair8151]

thank you. these panels would have forever escaped my notice. now that i know of them, i can spread the knowledge you have passed on to us.

[@LutherE.Bolkart]

Gojira (1954) was definitely the biggest mainstream story that perfectly encapsulated the soul of Japan, having to deal with Post-WW2 reckonings about their society. But just through the lens of a monster movie.

[@sugarqbs]

was waiting for someone to mention that! I’m not very familiar with painting, much less Japanese contemporary painting, but I do know about the blockbuster monster movie that again and again represents fears around technological advancement, war, and the government’s responses to them. The fact that it gets released and reinterpreted repeatedly (in the past 10 or so years we have both Shin-Gojira and Zero which I think are separate continuities) shows that there’s still a place for our favorite walking nuclear catastrophe in the zeitgeist of pop culture

[@emberc5487]

im loving the style of these newer videos. as well the marukis art is truely chilling and i really appreciate you taking the time to make this video

[@jacobreina9060]

I'm fairly well-read when it comes to history. The two most horrifying history books I've read are Hiroshima by John Hersey and The Rape of Nanking by Iris Chang. Both events are mentioned in this video, and very respectfully so. Well done 🙏

[@dylanclarke2949]

thank you for making this. "Ghosts" is bone-chilling.

[@JY-mk1hc]

The most seen art piece about Hiroshima and Nagasaki is The Myth of Tomorrow by Okamoto Taro, if only for its location in a busy hallway in Shibuya station. But its theme is not as obvious. And the war was not a key component of his art overall. Learned a lot through your video.

[@gapt33th]

I live in Pittsburgh, PA and went to Hiroshima Summer of 2024. It is chilling how similar the two cities are, and it is amazing how beautiful and vibrant and thriving Hiroshima is now. Human resiliance is a beautiful thing.

[@petrius658]

Brilliant video, haunting, yet incredible

[@hyunaglazer]

This editing is incredible and the VO is criiiiispppp, excited for this one 🔥☄️

[@christophermahon1851]

These are more powerful, and heartbreaking than Guernica. They truly need to be seen. Thanks, Shawn.

[@webheadwonder9597]

Visited Hiroshima a year ago, and the city still has the same wound as we see in these paintings. But to paint the massacre of Nanking? I have so much respect for these artists. Artists really do lead the way to a more conscientious world

[@henryashkenazi8890]

I enjoy watching your videos. I just walked into my hotel room in tokyo, japan.I can't believe i'm going to watch this now.😊 I'm going to the Art Gallery of Contemporary Art in 2 days. Thanks for your videos.

[@Shawn.Grenier]

Lucky you!!! Hope you enjoy Henry!!

[@henryashkenazi8890]

​@@Shawn.Grenieri will.I went to see the great wave today, but it's actually in storage.I was so upset😢. I make art, perhaps 1 day you'll make a video about me. Keep up the good work.

[@cgautz]

Thanks!

[@Petch85]

Thank for teaching me this. I have never heard of these paintings. I would wish that international organisations against war, war crimes and crimes against humanity had the same integrity as these two artists. They are super inspiring to me.

[@CherryBombQueen]

The work by Iri and Toshi Maruki - Hell, 1980 is part of the exposition of the National Gallery - Sofia, Bulgaria.

[@Jkhuffman]

Gosh you’re the best thank you. Never stop your videos truly make everything better

[@CHM0419]

Thank you very much, Shawn; these artworks truly show the sudden yet brutal honesty of engineered quietus.

[@sugarqbs]

5:25 That comment made by the professor to the Marukis was horrible. As a current student, I am once again deeply embarrassed and ashamed of the past I’m inheriting. The defensive “what-about-ism” makes me sick. I’ll be sure to bring this up next time someone winges about why we’re renaming another building…

[@ianmurrell209]

Though a majority of occupation forces were from the USA, there were also Australian, British, Indian and New Zealand (under the name BCOF) stationed around Kure which is next to Hiroshima. I'd suggest the Shohei Imamura movie "Black Rain" too, for its depiction of bomb survivors.

[@jacksonm4247]

Never heard of the Maruki's or seen their art, but those were some insanely beautiful and hard-hitting pieces. Thanks for showing them to me

[@CaiusV.]

Thank you ❤

[@caleciric5259]

Crazy. So intense

[@Wyattinous]

Another amazing discussion ❤

[@developingtank]

As a social studies teacher who references art as much as I can in my history lessons, it somehow never really occurred to me that there isn't much art surrounding the atomic bombs linked specifically to Hiroshima and Nagasaki. This is cool to see.

[@ExistentialNights]

Thank you so much for sharing this. Just damn. I am a dark artist and this really moved me.

[@lynnemaclean7201]

Stunning presentation. Thank you

[@Rhandomcurator]

The light in the room makes everything toasty, nutty, ultrasuede sexy in a 70’s p star hifi way and it tastes like a manhattan, and I know the subject of the video is catastrophic but I needed to appreciate the light.

[@mrndjl]

i first knew their work because t’was featured as the cover for an anthology edited and introduced by the late Kenzaburo Oe. looking at their work really haunts me, and i almost feel the fire upon my skin…

[@orchidrose1410]

Japan did do some very horrific things prior to the dropping of the bombs, and not just to China. But I don’t think that’s not why those bombs were dropped. America being what it is, my theory has always been, sick curiosity. because when an evil empire doesn’t see the other side as human…Japan was a human testing ground for atomic weapons.

[@jayolovitt5969]

Well if the option to basically rip open a hole directly into hell exists some people would always want to take a quick look. All the other horrors or war (all on rich display in WWII) have been with us since the beginning of war. Atomic weapons are entirely new. We’ve never had an ability to burn shadows onto walls or mutate the very land where the enemy lived before.

[@YOUPIMatin123]

Realpolitik and curiosity.

[@Dwarfplayer]

Realpolitik trully is the greatest death cult

[@YOUPIMatin123]

@@Dwarfplayer yes

[@Rutleif]

Love the videos.

[@Trustgrey]

I like this new setup

[@JustMusa-4]

Thank you for creating

[@praaht18]

thanks

[@cgautz]

My first thought was these remind me of Guernica.

[@alwayssleeping2456]

I think it is also about communicating the unspeakable; they visualize and express what they and others would never be able to recreate with words or even pictures-the experience. But it's very human-focused, so it tells you this was a human experience, one of the most horrific and unforgettable of experiences, but in the center they were human experiences.

[@sponge6197]

There probably wasn't an environment as terrifying as those two ground zeroes in the history of mankind.

[@BlueSkyOcean]

Wow I love internet and also thank u for sharing this open my eyes

[@haleyleyley8951]

ooh

[@StayBlessed47]

I love this channel

[@Petit_Nem]

When the elephants fight it's the grass that suffers

[@Blaire_Giulia]

Hey Shawn, I tired to join the discord but the link is out of date. is there any way I can join? can you refresh the link?? I love you're content, so being in a community would be really nice :)

[@DeadWhiteButterflies]

I guess art about Hiroshima has come into being, over the ensuing decades, but has taken on other forms. Godzilla being the most obvious example.

[@muntasirdipto4950]

my godd ..

[@rofa6086]

How can a human mind try to put onto paper so completely incomprehensible something so horrendous.

[@McGillus]

Its horribly poetic the land of the rising sun was the country where humanity dropped a tiny sun. Sadly it was so out of scale that looking back it makes the other horror appear deceptively small. Nankin is always used as an example because there were enough survivors to corroborate a truthful picture. It took multiple sources before people took it serious, because no one could imagine the level of depravity. Let that sink in. Just take a quick look at the Three Alls Policy.

[@Proctophile]

Are we just ignoring anime for some reason? There are a plethora of references to Hiroshima and Nagasaki in that medium.

[@jryan2552]

Avoid anime at all costs.

[@gothiiirafiii]

or. consider. this is an art channel and not an animation channel

[@Proctophile]

@gothiiirafiii he's reviewed several movies in the passed. So we can't claim to specialize now.

[@ericdigirolamo8904]

​@@gothiiirafiii animation can absolutely be considered art

[@popejaimie]

​@@gothiiirafiii animation is an art medium

[@venedem]

The commentary says that anime could not be art, why ?

[@Dwarfplayer]

It is art, just a pretty low bar art.

[@jordanzdebski5132]

why look so zesty making these tho?

[@hyunaglazer]

adds to the vibe, I’m eating it up