Addressing the topic of Hiroshima within Japan is fraught with challenges, particularly in a society that often hesitates to engage with political subjects—even within contemporary art. Ironically, it might be easier to organize art exhibitions about Hiroshima in New York City, a place that allows for critical discussions, even those addressing American policies.

For this discussion, we will remotely invite two art practitioners: Isao Yamamoto, who runs an alternative art space in Hiroshima, and Buntaro Aoki, the founder of Hatonosu, a Tokyo-based theater group that focuses on the atomic bombing of Hiroshima. Together, they will share insights into their practices and the complexities of engaging with Hiroshima-related themes in Japan.

Yamamoto Isao (b. 1992, Hiroshima) is the Representative and Art Manager of TAMENTAI. After he graduated Kyoto University's Faculty of Letters, where he majored in Human Geography, he was in charge of the Naoshima Rice-Growing Project at the Fukutake Foundation, which manages the Benesse Art Site Naoshima. He returned to his hometown of Hiroshima and established TAMENTAI G.K. in 2018 with the goal of promoting the works of emerging artists in the Seto Inland Sea region through art management and research initiatives. Since 2021, he has operated its own facility, TAMENTAI GALLERY Tsurumi-cho Lab., where experimental and challenging exhibitions are regularly held, focusing on projects that approach place and space in a way that only art can. He also writes and edits ""Tensen,"" a collection of records of the shows.

Buntaro Aoki is a scriptwriter, director, and founder of Hatonosu, a Tokyo-based theater group dedicated to exploring memories related to Hiroshima, such as those of the atomic bombing. Deeply interested in Hiroshima and its history, Aoki has presented numerous plays centered on these topics. Selected works include Orizuru (Paper Crane), Wasurehatete (Completely Forgotten), and Shihatsu Made (Until the First Train), among others.