Spearheaded by artist and cultural organizer Yasuyo Tanaka, SEED BOMB bridges past and future through art, performance, and youth-led storytelling. “Atomic Bomb and Seed Bomb use the same word—‘bomb’—but they carry opposite meanings: destruction and regeneration,” says Tanaka. “We want to explore what kind of world can grow from deep reflection, sincere remembrance, and meaningful action.”
There is still time to catch it. The project holds special resonance in Harlem, where research and development for the atomic bomb took place just blocks away in West Harlem’s Manhattanville neighborhood. “This exhibition couldn’t come at a more appropriate time or place,” says Michael Unthank, co-chair of the Board of Trustees at Children’s Art Carnival. “We’re honored to collaborate with curator Yasuyo Tanaka and a diverse group of artists to engage the public on critical issues surrounding history, environmental justice, and creative expression.”
Participating artists include Blanka Amezkua, Michele Brody, Noreen Dean Dresser, Garry Grant, Laura King, Eiko Nishida, Nazanin Noroozi, Tomo Mori, Nancy Paredes, Yasuyo Tanaka, TAFA, and Tammy Wofsey. Their work, which reflects on war, memory, and the possibilities of renewal, will be displayed at both venues.
Program highlights include a Japanese paper dyeing workshop for families on August 23.
Youth voices are central to the project. Students from Graham Windham, PS 300 Q, and WHEELS studied the Manhattan Project and the Japanese American Exclusion Act, creating art and stories that confront the human cost of war and imagine a regenerative future. Tanaka will also travel to historic sites including the Trinity Test Site and Church Rock, bringing back photographs and reflections to be included in the exhibitions.
“Every event is the result of accumulated past events. Past, present, and future are linked,” Tanaka says. “We invite the public to reflect and ask: What kind of future do we want to grow—under this sky?”