We are proud to announce that artist Caron Grand has been selected to exhibit her deeply moving piece, “In Honor of Hideo Sakata & Sadako Sasaki,” at the prestigious 46th annual exhibit “A Bridge for Peace” at the Nagasaki Museum in Japan.
This heartfelt artwork pays tribute to two powerful symbols of resilience, peace, and the enduring human spirit: Hideo Sakata, a survivor of the Nagasaki atomic bombing, and Sadako Sasaki, the young girl from Hiroshima whose thousand paper cranes became an international emblem of hope.
A Tribute to Hideo Sakata: A Survivor, Educator, and Artist
Born into a world shattered by war, Hideo Sakata survived the devastating atomic bombing of Nagasaki as a child. Instead of allowing the tragedy to define him, he channeled his energy into healing and rebuilding. Sakata became an art teacher, dedicating his life to nurturing creativity and cultivating peace through education.
His journey eventually took him from Japan to Mexico and Los Angeles, where he continued his mission by co-founding and promoting the International Art Group LELA—an organization committed to uniting cultures through art and peaceful dialogue.
Even as he battled cancer, Sakata never ceased to create. His final works, imbued with wisdom and hope, serve as a testament to a life devoted to peace and the transformative power of art. He passed away in 2023, but his legacy continues to ripple across continents and generations.
Paper Cranes and the Spirit of Sadako Sasaki
Caron Grand’s piece is also a loving homage to Sadako Sasaki, the Hiroshima survivor who began folding paper cranes while hospitalized with leukemia—believing in the Japanese legend that folding 1,000 cranes would bring healing and peace. Though she passed away at just 12 years old, her cranes have become global symbols of nonviolence and the enduring wish for a better world.
In Grand’s artwork, the presence of paper cranes not only reflects Sadako’s legacy but also becomes a bridge connecting the stories of Nagasaki and Hiroshima, of children lost and voices raised in peace.
Art as a Bridge for Peace
Selected for display at the “A Bridge for Peace” exhibit, Grand’s piece resonates with the museum’s mission: to confront the tragedies of war and amplify messages of harmony. The artwork captures both pain and perseverance—reminding us that even amidst unimaginable loss, there is beauty, growth, and the possibility of peace.
This selection is more than just an artistic achievement. It is a continuation of the work started by Sakata and Sasaki. It is a visual prayer for unity. And it is a reminder that the echoes of compassion can travel far beyond borders, across time and memory.
Final Thoughts
“In Honor of Hideo Sakata & Sadako Sasaki” is not just a painting—it is a legacy woven in color and symbol, a love letter to humanity’s capacity to rebuild, remember, and rise.
To see Caron Grand’s work featured in Nagasaki—on the very soil where Hideo Sakata’s journey began—is a powerful full circle moment, one that speaks to art’s ability to honor the past while inspiring the future.
Let this piece remind us: peace begins in remembrance, and it lives on through creation.