This Place is a Message- Echoes of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in the Art of Kei Ito

On August 6 and 9, 2025, the world marked the 80th anniversary of the only nuclear bombs ever to have been dropped on civilians in war.  

Through the lens of interdisciplinary artist Kei Ito’s works, this illustrated talk invites audiences to better understand the horrors of past events, to contribute to a less violent future, and to honour the resilience of the human spirit in the face of profound historical shadows.

Kei Ito has produced installation art and experimental photography that are rooted in the experiences of his late grandfather, a survivor of the atomic bombing in Hiroshima, and that aim to visualize the invisible, such as radiation, memory and life/death. Ito’s emotionally charged, and visually striking works examine the legacies of global nuclear tests and the historical bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki and reflect on the continued presence of nuclear weapons in the 21st century.

Following his illustrated talk, Ito will be joined by curator Akiko Takesue for a conversation on the role of intergenerational trauma and legacy in his work, as well as his hopes that these works might foster a sense of humanity and understanding of those impacted by the proliferation and use of nuclear weapons.   

Kei Ito 伊東 慧 (b. 1991) is an interdisciplinary artist whose work is centered around utilizing the conceptual framework of photography to visualize the invisible. Mainly employing camera-less photographic techniques, performance, and artifacts, Ito creates large-scale installations that excavate hidden histories. As a third-generation atomic bomb victim living in the US, Ito employs his generational history as a series of case studies that often applies the language of monuments and memorials, initiating a journey of healing and growth while inviting audiences to explore nuanced social issues and honor the memories of those lost to both historical and contemporary tragedies. 
 
Ito's artistic contributions have been widely recognized and exhibited in both solo and group exhibitions. Notably, his pieces are held in institutional collections, including the Museum of Contemporary Photography, the Norton Museum of Art, the Gregory Allicar Museum of Art, Johns Hopkins University, the Eskenazi Museum of Art, and the Georgia Museum of Art.