The Japanese Art Scene Monitor has recently reported that the Hiroshima and Nagasaki stations of the national broadcaster NHK have just held the second Pictures of the Atomic Bomb exhibition. In these popular and unique exhibitions, genuine survivors of the two atomic bomb blasts in Nagasaki and Hiroshima were invited to submit their own drawings and paintings of their experiences over 50 years ago on 6th (Hiroshima) and 9th (Nagasaki) August 1944. The first of the exhibitions was held in 1974, to mark the 30th anniversary of the blasts. It proved extraordinarily successful, not only attracting 2,225 works from Hiroshima and 336 from Nagasaki, but eventually touring nationally and internationally to the National Gallery of Canada and the Museum of Modern Art Oxford. The second show was originally planned to be held on the 60th anniversary of the bombings, but plans were brought forward as it became clear that many of the survivors were fast succumbing to old age. This time around 1,297 works were received in Hiroshima and 274 in Nagasaki. According to organisers, the vast majority of participants were in their 70’s or 80’s. Some apparently explained that they had never spoken of their experiences, let alone drawn them, but that they felt the exhibition was their last chance to warn younger generations about the tragedy of atomic warfare. While the shows have already ended in Nagasaki and Hiroshima, they will tour nationally in 2003.