The Reason
STATEMENT FROM ARTIST/PHOTOGRAPHER/ACTIVIST, JOHN SHADIS
On April 22, 2006 I had the dubious honor of participating on a site tour of the worst nuclear catastrophe of the Twentieth century; the exploded Chernobyl reactor in the former Soviet Republic of Ukraine. I thought I was reasonably informed about this continuing radiological tragedy but came to understand I had no real concept of the overwhelming magnitude of this global crisis.
I had been invited to an event entitled, "Remembrance for the Future; Chornobyl +20", a conference of international delegates commemorating the 20th anniversary of the April 26, 1986 nuclear disaster. The week long symposium was held at Budynok Vchytelya (The House of Teachers), in the capital city of Kiev. Leaders in the fields of radiological research presented a series of lectures and subject-specific educational workshops. This group of renowned experts represented the numerous scientific, medical, industrial, and political disciplines involved in assessing and responding to the permanent emergency spawned by this nuclear travesty.
Those in attendance were given the opportunity to take a guided tour of the Chernobyl complex, the specter city of Pripyat , and infamous "Exclusion Zone." The vast majority of these astute individuals declined, knowing full well that this extensively evacuated area has a profusion of undesignated "Hot Spots," innumerable points where radiation levels are dangerously high if not fatal where plutonium remains uncontained.
Nonetheless, (perhaps fool heartedly), I went galloping on in, charging around and capturing a slew of digital images from the crumbling, exploded reactor sarcophagus, the dead city of Pripyat, and what truly seemed like hell on earth, the "Exclusion Zone."
The conference provided an abundance of information concerning the environmental and economic impact, as well as the permanent, devastating impact on human health resulting from this nuclear nightmare.
These photographs are being shared with the public for the first time on the evening of Friday, July 7, 2006 coinciding with Gallery Walk in downtown Brattleboro, Vermont.
I pray that through these images I am able to convey to the local community the sudden, insidious, and permanent nuclear destruction of this once beautiful part of earth, the "Bread Basket" of Russia.
John Shadis
July 2006
STATEMENT FROM GRAPHIC ARTIST & WEBMASTER, TRISH KEENAN
Why the hell would anyone want to spend the little free time they have working on a project like this? Because they saw... they questioned... and they believed.
When John returned from the Ukraine and I had a chance to look through the photographs, the issue of nuclear power went suddenly from existing at arm's length to sitting firmly in my lap at a ton-and-a-half with a timer set to detonate at any moment. There was no turning back.
I am incredibly frustrated that there aren't more people my age stepping up to do something about this nightmare-waiting-to-happen. I want to wake everyone the hell up and remove the threat for ourselves and our kids. I will not sit complacent any longer.
Trish Keenan
March 2007
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