As we approach the end of the year 2024, we would like to extend our deepest gratitude for all your support. Today we would like to take this opportunity to reflect on our activities over the past year.

Exhibitions and Events held at the Maruki Gallery

This year marks the 70th anniversary of the exposure of the Daigo Fukuryu Maru (Lucky Dragon No. 5 Tuna fishing boat) and other boats to radiation from U.S. hydrogen bomb tests at the Bikini Atoll in the Pacific Ocean. 
Matsushita Mariko’s special exhibition, “Human Animals,” which evoked the ongoing attacks on the Gaza Strip in Palestine since last fall, quietly generated considerable interest. There was also news at the end of the year that Nihon Hidankyo (The Japan Confederation of A- and H-Bomb Sufferers Organizations) had been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.

We held many special exhibitions and events.
[Special Exhibition] Ahagon Shoko – Photography, Resistance, and Island People Read More
[Event] 57th Anniversary of the Opening of the Maruki Gallery Read More
[Special Exhibition] Matsushita Mariko – Human Animals Read More
[Special Exhibition] Kan Ryohei – Based on a True Story Read More
[Event] Hiroshima Memorial Event – 79th Anniversary/Screening of the film HELLFIRE: Journey from Hiroshima Read More
[Special Exhibition] Yoi KawakuboLeft is RightThe Garden of 4.5 Billion Years and Boiled Frogs Read More

Exclusive Screening: The Hiroshima Panels Available to Supporters for a Limited Time

As a token of appreciation for your continued support, we are pleased to offer an exclusive screening of the documentary film Genbaku no Zu (The Hiroshima Panels), available to our supporters through January 31.

Released in 1953, this film was produced shortly after the Allied occupation of Japan ended in April 1952, when the ban on reporting the atomic bombings was lifted. This period saw an increase in the publication of survivor memoirs, the release of previously censored photographs, and the production of films depicting the bombings. The Hiroshima Panels emerged as a vital part of this movement to share the untold stories of the atomic bombings with the world.

This year, we have added English subtitles, and for the first time, we are making this significant film available online. We invite you to witness this valuable piece of history. Click here to watch the filim.

Progress Report on the Hiroshima Panels Preservation Fund

The Hiroshima Panels Preservation Fund, launched on May 5, 2017, in commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the gallery’s opening, has received generous support from many individuals.

As of the end of September 2024, the total donations amount to 327 million yen. After accounting for expenses already incurred—such as design, preliminary construction, publicity, and the restoration of the paintings—the remaining balance stands at approximately 250 million yen.

While our initial target was 300 million yen to cover the renovation costs, unforeseen challenges have emerged. These include findings from the architectural survey and a sharp increase in material and labor costs, forcing us to make tough decisions about the renovation project’s next steps.

Meanwhile, The Hiroshima Panels (II): Fire is undergoing restoration at the Institute for Conservation of Cultural Property, Aichi University of the Arts, and is expected to be completed in spring 2025. However, subsequent panels in the series also require restoration work.

In light of these developments, we are now setting a revised target of 400 million yen for the preservation fund. We deeply appreciate your continued support in helping us preserve this invaluable cultural heritage. Once again, we would like to extend our heartfelt gratitude for your support this year. 

The year 2025 will mark the 80th anniversary of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and it will be the last year that visitors will be able to see the Hiroshima Panels in the current gallery building. 

We wish you happy holidays and a new year!