Radiant

In August of 2023, Japan released its radioactive water from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant into the Pacific Ocean.

Size: 120cm*90cm*4cm

Method: Sculpture

Medium(s): Plastic Containers, Liquid, Acrylic on Foamboard

In August of 2023, Japan released its radioactive water from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant into the Pacific Ocean. There has been much debate as to whether the wastewater is safe.

What we do know is that more than 1 million metric tons of treated radioactive water will be released into the ocean over a 30 year period. It's anybody's guess what the fallout (no pun intended) of this action will be. TEPCO built over 1,000 massive tanks to store the treated radioactive wastewater in Fukushima, prior to its release.

This conceptual work portrays the tanks in a similar blue color that typifies the storage tanks in Fukushima. The tops of the tanks are colored in a dark red and organized in the formation of a radioactive symbol. The tanks are laid over top of a red circle, which is a slightly different hue than the tops of the red tanks. The circle is actually the symbol of a Japanese flag, the location of which the wastewater emanates. While the storage tanks and the fluid in them is camouflaged, the long term outlook is anything but subtle.