The Intersection of Art, Craft and Music with Peace in East Asia.
In the complex landscape of East Asia, artistic and music creativity transcends borders, offering a universal language that inspires action and builds new cultural bridges. Through creative expression, people around the region are redefining community and shared identity.
From traditional rhythms reinterpreted for modern advocacy to contemporary visual arts that challenge militaristic narratives, the creative spirit serves as a cornerstone for sustainable peace. This section explores how rhythm, color, and imagination unite our diverse islands and nations.
IMAGES OF PEACE
Galleries & Art Archives
Discover specialized repositories and exhibition spaces dedicated to peace-centered creativity. These archives preserve the visual history of activism while galleries showcase contemporary works that bridge cultures across East Asia.
Hiroshima Peace Art Association - Holds annual peace art exhibitions.
Maruki Gallery for the Hiroshima Panels, Higashi Matsuyama City, Japan. Exhibits the work of Maruki Iri and Toshi along with other peace related art.
Northeast Asia Art Archive 东北亚艺术文献库. - Changbaishan, China. Links the art of Northeast China to the wider region.
Featured Artists
Chinese artist using natural elements to inspire a collaborative and peaceful future for East Asia and the world.
Haji Oh uses textile art to "“unravel memories and re-weave them” in order to trace “silent-memories”
PEACE Music Playlist
A curated soundscape of resistance and harmony, blending traditional motifs with contemporary activism from across the region.
FOLK ACROSS BORDERS
Based on the poem by Pak Se-yong, this Japanese folk version became an anthem of hope for Korean unity.
SOUNDS of hope
A message of survival and solidarity from women, composed by Naomi Littlebear Morena and sung by more than 30,000 women at the 1980s Greenham Common anti-base protest.
songs of protest
Music from the protest against the military dangers and environmental destruction caused by the construction of the Jeju naval base
ISLANDS OF PEACE
MUSIC OF RECONCILIATION
INDIGENOUS VOICES
Okinawan song 平和の願 い (Wishing for Peace) from Suzi Sanshin.
Korean violinist Hyung Joon Won uses modern classical music to cross borders and heal the scars of war.
Sauljaljui brings the voice of Paiwan music to a global audience.
Among the millions who suffered in the Korean War were some 10,000 Native Americans, of whom almost 200 died in the war. You can listen to the Oglala Sioux Singers performing a song of memory and lament for them and for all the victims of the war (recorded in 1952) here.
The Purple Gold Grass of Nanjing - A song of peace to commemorate the many tens of thousand victims of the 1937 Nanjing Massacre. This song has been regularly performed over the years by joint groups of singers from China and Japan to remember the dead an reaffirm a commitment to peace. You can hear a version of the song here.
Share Your Creation
We invite you to contribute your art and music to our collective vision of peace. Whether it's a painting, a song, or a poem, your expression matters in fostering cross-cultural understanding across East Asia.