Japanese artist faces backlash for ‘unscientific’ statue of child in protective gear in Fukushima
Kenji Yanobe apologises for “discomforting” some people with his artwork
The statue of a child clad in a protective suit set up near JR Fukushima station has sparked criticism that it gives the impression that Fukushima residents need such gear after the 2011 nuclear crisis.
The 6.2-metre statue called Sun Child was made by contemporary artist Kenji Yanobe to express his wish for a world free from nuclear disasters.
The statue indicates the surrounding air is “clean” as the child is holding its helmet in its hand and a radiation counter on its chest reads “000”.
Yanobe apologised on his website Friday for “discomforting” some people with his artwork, which was created in the wake of the Fukushima Daiichi power plant meltdown and installed near JR Fukushima station in the city of Fukushima on August 3.
“I wanted to make a work that encourages people (in Fukushima) … and made the statue of a child standing up bravely and strongly against any difficulties it faces,” he said.
“The clothing looks like protective gear, but it is also armour to confront major issues and, being like a spacesuit, it also carries a futuristic image.”
But he admitted that his earlier explanation of the artwork – such as calling the clothing “protective gear” and the device on the statue’s chest a “Geiger counter” – may have led to misunderstanding.