Mercer Times

The threat of nuclear warfare, once a prominent concern for older generations, is now being highlighted for today's youth through an immersive multimedia installation. Artist Smriti Keshari and filmmaker Eric Schlosser have produced "the bomb," which is part of the exhibit "Close Encounters: Facing the Bomb in a New Nuclear Age." This exhibit is on display at the Bernstein Gallery at Princeton's School of Public and International Affairs (SPIA) until October 25.

"What we're trying to do is bring attention to this issue for a new generation," said Schlosser. "When I was at Princeton, everybody knew about nuclear war and everybody thought about it. Unfortunately, the threat has only gotten worse."

Originally featuring large screens and live music at the 2016 Tribeca Festival, "the bomb" now uses smaller screens to create a portable experience resembling a nuclear command center. This adaptation allows it to tour universities across North America, supported by a MacArthur Foundation grant.

"It's so important to bring 'the bomb' in front of students, academics and people who are going to have a role in shaping what the future of nuclear weapons development and strategy looks like," Keshari said.

The exhibit is hosted by Princeton SPIA’s Program on Science & Global Security (SGS), as part of its 50th-anniversary commemoration. SGS Co-Director Alex Glaser described it as an opportunity for engagement: “They recreated 'the bomb' in a way that makes it portable and a vehicle for discussion and audience engagement.”

Accompanying the installation are eight infographic panels and two short films by SGS. "Plan A" simulates an escalating nuclear conflict between the U.S. and Russia based on SGS modeling from 2017. Another film, “We Must Speak Boldly,” directed by Keshari, highlights efforts by physicists to address nuclear weapons issues through the Physicists Coalition for Nuclear Reduction.

SGS will also host an event titled “Talking About the Fire” with performance artist Chris Thorpe on October 11. The event will focus on nuclear weapons and the UN Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons.

From October 10-16, SGS runs its annual Princeton School on Science and Global Security program to educate young scientists globally about using science against nuclear threats.

Zia Mian, SGS Co-Director, stated these initiatives aim to emphasize nuclear weapons as critical scholarly issues: “The weapons are not a visible part of everyday life or politics, but they have a profound impact in overshadowing humanity’s future with the possibility of nuclear war.”

"The exhibition gives the Princeton community a moment when they can grapple with how they feel and think about the existence of nuclear weapons and the civilization-ending dangers they pose,” Mian noted.