An exhibition in London is highlighting the impact of climate change and the legacy of nuclear testing on the Marshall Islands. The “Kõmij Mour Ijin/Our Life is Here” exhibition at the National Maritime Museum features artwork exploring the nation’s history and the threats its inhabitants face.
Artistic Exploration of the Marshall Islands
The exhibition includes paintings, sculptures, photos, and video installations. It stems from an expedition led by Cape Farewell, a cultural art and climate project founded by artist David Buckland, to the remote Pacific nation in 2023.
Rising Sea Levels and Nuclear History
Artists, writers, scientists, and filmmakers visited atolls including Bikini, the site of U.S. nuclear bomb tests between 1946 and 1958, including the 1954 “Castle Bravo” detonation – the largest U.S. bomb ever detonated.
“‘Our Life is Here’… refers to them. It’s how they could construct their life in among the terrible history and the potential future,” Buckland said.
The atolls are only six feet above sea level, making them highly vulnerable to rising Pacific Ocean levels.
Vulnerability to Climate Change
The Marshall Islands, home to around 40,000 people, is one of the countries most vulnerable to rising sea levels. A 2021 World Bank study projects that 96% of the capital, Majuro, is at risk of frequent flooding.
Last year was among the planet’s three warmest on record, according to the World Meteorological Organization. EU scientists have confirmed that average temperatures have exceeded 1.5 degrees Celsius of global warming for the longest period since records began.
The exhibition, which opened in late November, runs until June.
Discover more from Archyworldys
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
