Ken + Julia Yonetani, Crystal Palace: The Great Exhibition of the Works of Industry of all Nuclear Nations, 2012. courtesy: nkv
Husband-and-wife duo Ken + Julia Yonetani unveiled three radioactive glass chandeliers in Wiesbaden, Germany, last week as part of “Keeping up Appearances,” a group show at NKV that explores elements of illusion, surprise, and deception in the visual arts. Meant to coincide with the one-year anniversary of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster in Japan on March 11, 2011 , the vintage chandeliers, entitled “Crystal Palace: the Great Exhibition of the Works of Industry of All Nuclear Nations,” glow green from a UV light shone on thousands of uranium glass beads hanging in place of crystals.
According to the Sydney-based artists, both of whom were born and raised in Tokyo, the series will eventually comprise one chandelier for each nuclear nation, with size dictated by a nation’s nuclear output. The chandeliers on view represent Germany (the exhibition’s host country), France, and Finland.
“One thing we wanted to explore was the fear of radiation and that’s what people in Japan have been living with for the last year,” Ken shared in an article on Phaidon’s website.
The artists claim the chandeliers emit readings slightly above normal when standing one foot away from them, but assert that the works are safe. Any harm in being near the chandeliers is imagined. Though novel in contemporary glass art, uranium glass been used in the decorative arts for several centuries, explains Paolo Brenni in an article on uranium glass’ important role in the sciences. It first came to prominence in the late 19th century in the form of lamps, dishware, jewelry, and other objects, and then again during the Art Nouveau and Art Deco periods. Its popularity waned during in the 1940s when the United States banned the commercial use of uranium salts because of their importance during both World War II and the Cold War.
The Yonatani’s work is on view through May 6 at NKV and will travel to the Artereal Gallery and 4A Centre for Contemporary Asian Art, both in Australia, later this year. [Nod to Phaidon via The Art Newspaper]
—Grace Duggan