Living Under Radiation: The Role of Arts After 3.11 Fukushima Live Performance

Living Under Radiation: The Role of Arts after 3.11 Fukushima
Wednesday, Nov 16, 2011  6:30pm (reception to follow)
@ NYU East Asian Studies (41 East 11th St, 7th floor)
Free

Otomo Yoshihide: Musician, Co-founder of “Project Fukushima!”
Devastated by the March 2011 nuclear disaster in Fukushima, Otomo, along with musicians and artists, began organizing “Project Fukushima!” - an open-ended autonomous movement where people create and express in diverse media, and learn about radiation-specific science to tackle the invisible threats of radiation that has been contaminating the vast area of Eastern Japan. In August, they organized an outdoor music festival in Fukushima, whose planning was accompanied by daily radiation monitoring in the outdoor venue not far from the still leaking nuclear power plant. Why was such a risky festival necessary? Otomo calls for the role of music and arts “to prevent Fukushima from being forgotten, and to retain Fukushima’s connection with the outside world.”
Presented by NYU East Asian Studies & Todos Somos Japoninterpretation by Philip James Kaffen

Chuck Bettis