When first entering the website I was welcomed with pictures of the havoc created by the atomic bomb at Nagasaki. There are a sequence of pictures and quotes from the photographer Yamahata. The photos are very graphic and show the tragedies of the survivors and the dead. There are a few different pages to the website. There is a page devoted to an essay written by the photographer Yamahata about his memories of the day after Nagasaki. The more I looked into the website the more I realized that it was an exploration of memory and how memory was impacted by time. The exploratorium, in 1995, placed a question to the world about how they remember learning, viewing, and or living in the cold war. People from all over the world answer. The website took excerpts from people's responses and placed them on the website. This was to show how complicated the issue was and is, and how the memories change and develop over time.
I really enjoy the website because it was very touching. Introducing the viewer with pictures of an autrocity immediately affects a person emotionally. The layout of the website helped to encourage this reaction. It is a black background. When there is writing it is white and plain. The pictures are black and white. Though they stay in the color scheme, they stand out from the background which draws attention to them. The minimalist quality to the website helps the viewer focus in on the point and does not distract them with anything unnecessary. The use of personal memories and views about the event helps ground the viewer. The variety of ages who responded helps give a variety of views on the subject and helps round out the viewers opinion. This also keeps the website non-biased and open.
It is a touching and interesting website that does not educate someone on Nagasaki, but opens there eyes to it. It helps to cultivate an interest in the subject so that someone can do the research themselves.
No comments:
Post a Comment