Statement from the Editors

A week has passed since the devastating Tohoku Pacific Earthquake and Tsunami that struck northeastern Japan March 11. With the ensuing nuclear crisis at Fukushima I Nuclear Power Plant, these events have taken a great human, economic and spiritual toll from Japan – a toll that is still as yet incalculable, and may remain so for the foreseeable future. Yet as has been made evident through both news coverage and personal daily interactions, even a catastrophe of such wide-reaching and unprecedented impact has not shaken the fundamental humanity of the many affected people. We have received and sent numerous contacts from and to friends and colleagues in our broader professional community, and take strength from the many expressions of composure and sympathy that have been exchanged in these trying days. While this will certainly be recorded as one of the worst disasters in the recent history of Japan, it also has the potential to be remembered as a triumph of dignity, compassion and spontaneous collective resolve. We at ART iT are discussing ways in which we can use our media platform to contribute to recovery efforts, including but not limited to the raising of money and other resources for charity. And while it is easy to question its significance in a time of crisis, we feel that continuing to think critically about art and its associated issues is no less a contribution to working beyond the circumscribed perspective of self-preservation. It is for this reason that we plan to proceed – to the best of our abilities – with already scheduled thematic and timely content, while also reporting on the responses of artists, architects and other creatives to the effects of the disaster.

We extend our most profound sympathies to those whose loved ones and homes were lost in the earthquake and tsunami, and thank our local and international readers for their continued support and understanding.

– The Editors

Emergency closures in Japan (galleries and museums)
Ways to contribute to earthquake relief

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