HOPE WILL BLOSSOM FROM THESE ASHES - Sculpture by Leah Hislop

Leah Hislop has been commissioned by Christian CND to create a memorial artwork to mark the 80 anniversary of when the atomic bombs were detonated over the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

The work titled ‘Hope Will Blossom From These Ashes’, was inspired by a quote from Tomoko Watanabe co-founder of the Green Legacy Hiroshima; “I heard from many people at the time (after Hiroshima Bombing), that there was no colour in Hiroshima. There was only black, white or grey. Some people said that no plants would grow here for the next 75 years… At the time the trees looked like charcoal, a stick of charcoal…but on some of the trees green buds emerged…. When people saw that the buds had come out they thought they could survive as well, it was comforting. I can just imagine the vividness of the tiny green bud in that colourless world, it must have given people some comfort and hope”.

The charred part of the tree is constructed from thousands of carefully hand folded triangles by the artist herself and painted with crushed charcoal. Leah has incorporated origami cranes folded by volunteers for the 2024 Christian CND 1,000 Cranes Campaign. The cranes have been arranged on top of and around the work to appear as flowers growing from the charred remains of a tree. Each crane symbolises an individual praying for peace.