Reimagining Reality: Visualizing Nuclear Anxiety through Photography

Proceedings of the International Conference on Art Studies

Year: 2024

DOI:

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Reimagining Reality: Visualizing Nuclear Anxiety through Photography

Kinga Anna Gajda

 

ABSTRACT:

Amid the Russo-Ukrainian conflict, often likened to a contemporary Cold War, nuclear discourse has resurged, highlighting persistent global concerns over nuclear threats. This paper investigates how artists have historically grappled with the invisible menace of radiation since World War II, emphasizing incidents in nuclear power plants and tests. Through a focus on photographic representations, the study explores how artists visualize and communicate the intangible dimensions of nuclear peril. By analyzing these visual narratives, the research illuminates the role of art in fostering public awareness and discourse on nuclear risks and their enduring impacts.

keywords: nuclear discourse, photography, visual representation, radiation, public awareness