Remembering - Collective memory and art

About

Global attention on the Olympics in Japan has heightened awareness of the histories, and absences of histories, within cultural narratives surrounding the Games.  For example, when the Mayor of Hiroshima asked the International Olympic Committee to observe a minute of silence on 6th August to commemorate the anniversary of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima in 1945, the request was refused. The IOC explained that their policy was to acknowledge this history in the closing ceremony.  This reflects an attempt to systematically ‘manage’ collective cultural narratives under the glare of the Olympic spotlight.

For many people in Japan, lives are still shaped by these hushed histories – many suffer from memories of the past and struggle to face and make sense of it.  As global attention shifts away from Japan, these histories remain, unchanged and powerful.

Yoshio Shirakawa’s current exhibition explores the complex terrain of collective memory. Shirakawa’s work digs deep, asking difficult questions about the reality of Asia Pacific War, the  atomic bombs that were dropped in Japan in 1945.

AAUK is inviting you to reflect on the complexities of these unfolding histories through panel discussion between Yoshio Shirakawa, Dr. Yoshitaka Mouri, Kaori Homma, Chaired by Dr. Jessica Holtaway