Nuclear art

Nuclear art emerged as a distinct form in the aftermath of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, reflecting on the catastrophic power of nuclear technology and its implications for humanity. Italian artists Enrico Baj and Sergio Dangelo were pioneers, presenting the "Technical Manifesto of Nuclear Painting" in 1952, after organizing an exhibition titled "Nuclear Painting" at the San Fedele Gallery in Milan in 1950. This movement spread across different countries, with artists like Salvador Dalí in Spain and Bernard Lorjou in France addressing nuclear themes in their works. Dalí, for instance, combined Catholic mysticism with nuclear motifs in his "Mystical Manifesto" and created works like "Idillio atomico" (1945) and "Leda Atomica" (1949).

In the United States, Henry Moore's sculpture "Nuclear Energy" (1967), located at the University of Chicago, both commemorates the development of nuclear energy and serves as a reminder of the dangers of nuclear weapons. This sculpture, with its amalgamation of a mushroom cloud and human skull, invites a tactile engagement, a physical response to the phenomenon of radiation that is otherwise invisible and intangible.

Contemporary artists continue to explore nuclear themes, often integrating actual nuclear materials and technologies into their work. Alyce Simon, for instance, experimented with high-voltage particle accelerators to create artworks that visually captured the paths of electrons through a substrate, making visible the invisible forces of nuclear physics. James Acord, another noteworthy artist, held a unique license to work with radioactive materials and sought to directly engage with nuclear-reactor technology in his art.

The movement is an artistic investigation into the powers and dangers of the atomic age, and its legacy lives on in various works displayed in museums and galleries around the world​​​​​​.