Edinburgh Festival: Peace Cranes Project

Source: Justice and Peace Scotland

Peace Cranes is a two-year project by Peace & Justice (Scotland) - a major part of its Arts and Activism Programme. The project sets out to explore the impact of nuclear power on peace, people the planet, and the significance of the UN nuclear weapons ban treaty. It features a series of contemporary art exhibitions and events across Edinburgh in-person and worldwide online, showcasing works by Scottish and international artists. Peace Cranes is curated by Iliyana Nedkova and Heather Kiernan and delivered with the support of a range of partners, volunteers, donors and funders - all spreading the message about planetary care, climate and nuclear justice worldwide.

The Peace Cranes project began online on 6 August 2020 with a series of films, talks and theatre events commemorating the 75th anniversary of the nuclear catastrophe caused by the US atomic bombing of the Japanese civilian populations in Hiroshima and in Nagasaki in August 1945. The project continued with exhibitions and events held across Edinburgh 6 August - 26 November 2021 which attracted over 20,000 visitors.

The Peace Cranes project culminates with Consequences. Art and Activism in the Nuclear Age 16 August - 3 September 2022 - an in-person exhibition and events at Out of the Blue Drill Hall, 36 Dalmeny Street, Edinburgh EH6 8RG. Free and open to all Monday - Saturday 10am - 5pm (except 27 August 2022).

Through artist's films, photography, installations and poetry, it explores the humanitarian and environmental consequences posed by the Russia's invasion of Ukraine, together with the nuclear power accidents at Chernobyl and Fukushima, as well as the dropping and testing of the atomic bomb in Hiroshima, Nagasaki, Kazakhstan and Marshall Islands.

The 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 exhibition is accompanied by a series of free events, including a preview and poetry readings on 19 August from 6pm.

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

The exhibition is also accompanied by a selection of poems introduced weekly on our dedicated Peace & Justice (Scotland) Art and Activism Facebook page: www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100082493810472

And look out for the play in Edinburgh - 'The Mistake: a play by Michael Mears'. The dropping of the first atomic bomb is referred to on the Peace Memorial in Hiroshima as "the mistake". In this 77th anniversary of Hiroshima, Michael Mears' new play explores personal stories surrounding that catastrophic event. https://cnduk.org/events/the-mistake-a-play-by-michael-mears-3/