The University of Georgia and the Center for Fine Art Photography have honored the legacy of Kei Ito, an artist whose work reflects on the profound impact of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. On the 80th anniversary of these events, it has been a privilege to contribute to the design of two exhibition catalogs that encapsulate the themes of his work.
The concept of these catalogs is rooted in the elemental forces affected by an atomic explosion—air and ground. These two states symbolize contamination, transformation, and the inescapable reach of nuclear devastation. The air catalog follows a strict grid, mapping the passage of time from detonation to fallout, printed in shades of blue to evoke the vast sky that bore witness to destruction. The ground catalog, printed in earthy browns, reflects the testing sites where nuclear power was first unleashed, interwoven with Zen quotes that foreshadow the bomb’s inevitable descent.
These catalogs are not merely documents of an exhibition but serve as a conceptual extension of Ito’s practice, mirroring his meditative approach to memory, loss, and survival. In honoring Kei Ito’s grandfather—who was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts to dismantle nuclear energy and weapons systems—this project acknowledges the lasting echoes of nuclear warfare and the continued pursuit of peace.
- Designer
- Henry Becker
- Artist/ Photographer
- Kei Ito
