Ian Carrera
Unknown Artist, "Atomic bomb blast at Bikini Island"
1946, gelatin silver print
The image above was created by an unknown artist, titled "Atomic bomb blast at Bikini Island" in July of 1946 on gelatin silver print. This detonation test was conducted by the United States military in "Operation Crossroads", taking place between 1946 and 1958. This image depicts the bomb codenamed "Abel", and is the first of twenty-three individual tests. The image was taken shortly after detonation, before the atomic cloud stretched vertically into the atmosphere.
I chose this image because of its obvious message, and what I saw past that. When I look at the image I find it difficult to not see the result of an instrument of war, which fills me with a feeling of dread even though it was taken sixty-eight years ago. I find myself not being able to focus for long on the landscape around the blast because of its dominant placement in the image. However, even though I am aware of the massively destructive power of this weapon, I cannot help but be awestruck by the almost uniform appearance of the cloud.
