A Talk with "Art For Peace" Winner Haruka Shoji

In time for the launching of our "Peace Art Journey" Exhibit at the Former Bank of Japan in Hiroshima (Now Open!) and our Peace Concert in Hiroshima, we talked with Haruka Shoji, the first place winner for our Art For Peace Contest back in 2012. Haruka's work, "Someday," will be on display during the exhibit, along with 11 other works by peace-minded children around the world.

Check out the inspiration behind "Someday"

"Maybe it is your child, or your grandchild, or much more later one who says bye to nuclear weapons. Or, maybe, it's you."

What got you into art, when did you start?

I loved art ever since I had crayons in my hand. My parents probably bought them for me. So I learned to draw before I learned the word “art.”

What was the inspiration behind your artwork for the 2012 Art For Peace Contest?

At the time I was planning what to draw, I found the sky I see from a second floor of my house beautiful. In the evening, through the black-framed window, I could see the sky painted in rainbow colors and the trees becoming silhouettes by the bright sky. Until then, I've thought the evening sky as orange, but I found out that there are a whole lot of colors in it. I decided to draw this discovery in my work. 

  

The girl is a symbol of observers' descendant. She is a powerless girl; she has no weapon, and she can't run with such a dress on. She possibly won't survive a war, and thus, she is also a symbol of a innocent victim of war. 

If you wish her a happy life, then you have to make "someday" [a world free of nuclear weapons] closer for this scene become true.

What is your own definition of peace?

That I can eat, drink, work, laugh, and sleep without fear.

How can art share or send a message?

I believe that art does not send a message to anybody, but wakes up something in the beholder. Anything that people feel looking at an artwork is intrinsic. If you feel anger, an anger is inside you. If you feel sadness, you must be grieving over something. Art is a mirror to look into yourself. 

Have you continued you draw or create art after the contest?

Yes. I want to create even more work.

What’s next for you?

I am hoping to travel around the world and observe more things I've never seen.

 October 23, 2012 - Haruka Shoji, First Prize Winner of the Art For Peace worldwide contest was honored by the Harmony For Peace and the United Nations for her artwork "Someday."

We hope Haruka never stops channeling her artistic talent into peace-making, and as she travels worldwide, may she always remember that the desire for peace is universal. 

Let us Sing, Play, Draw, Paint our way to Peace.

A Back Stage Look at our Japan Concert Rehearsal

Hours before the concert, a mix of nerves and great excitement fill the concert hall. With performers ranging from professionals, young adults and children, our levels of musicality differ as well. Nevertheless, their parts in a united voice for peace are equally strong. 

New Information on our upcoming concert in Hiroshima

Here are a few photos as our talented group prepare for this special night. 

We invited two high school choirs to join us at the concert - our first, Sotoku High School of Hiroshima's Glee Club

Our special thanks go to our music directors, without them this concert would not have been possible. Here, conductor Shinpei Ito leads the Glee Club

The choir from Asaka Reimei High School in Fukushima is known to be one of the finest in the country. 

Leo Konno leads the Koto ensemble, using a jushichi-gen, or 17 string bass koto, while the rest of the ensemble accompany him with standard 13 string instruments.

Yokohama International School's Koto Ensemble performed a piece called "Ablaze," composed by Tadao Sawaii, who wrote it for his wife Kazue, expressing his excitement and anticipation for their future.

Our orchestra is always a great symbol for our mission; many different instruments harmonizing together beautifully.

There were so many parts to this piece by the Suginami Amanuma Elementary School's Japanese Traditional Drum Ensemble. The ensemble learns to play in three styles; Mikoshi (represents the portable shrine), Yose-Taiko (welcomes the audience, and Genki-Uchi (lively and energetic chiildren). 

Conductor Reona Ito has worked with us before at our International Peace Day Concert in Philadelphia. His leadership and superior musicality has always been blessing to us! Here he directs our youth orchestra for the finale piece.

Three of our feature performers; cellist Ohad Bar-David, Japanese drummer Masahiro Uemura and Conductor Reona Ito, practice together one final time before the show. 

We have to commend our music directors for their dedication and patience working with their students for our concert! Here Tokyo International School Choir and Director Miguel Arambulo practice their songs on stage.

All our performers join together to rehearse the finale piece - it's been a long day and the concert hasn't even begun!

After all the hard work of the rehearsal, our talented young artists performed brilliantly that night for a splendid concert. This evening was more than just an opportunity to perform on a premier stage - it was a great learning experience for these students. Joining together in our finale piece, artists of all ages and backgrounds lent their voices and talent to our message for peace worldwide. We hope that each performer felt the power of this piece and can begin to understand that music, as a universal language, can act as a starting point for change.

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