Five and thirty years have passed respectively since the Fukushima and Chernobyl nuclear meltdowns, but despite the passage of time, elevated levels of radioactivity endure and a complicated picture of environmental and social impacts remains. Many places in Japan and Chernobyl-impacted Russia have undergone decontamination work, but the vast, uncontrolled nature of the problem ensures that hotspots of accumulated radiation linger, and invisible threats remain in places where populations have returned.
Lightpainting with a custom-built light stick and geiger counter exposes radiation, in real-time, in Japan’s Fukushima prefecture and the Bryansk region of Russia; highlighting the risks face by communities that continue to live in – or are expected to return to – areas affected by the two worst nuclear events in history.
This project secured broad international coverage, including: Polka Magazine,Mashable,GizmodoES,Zeit Online,National Geographic Russia,The Creators Project – Vice,Vice – China,Quo,Elventano,BNR,Arduino,Alphr,The New Aesthetic,Photogrist,Mistura Urbana, andArt Vibes.