This installation artwork was inspired by the story of Sadako Sasaki and the origin of the peace crane. In order to update the story, and relate it to modern day warfare, I printed the paper with an electron microscope image of Smallpox cells. This was one of the biological weapons which was meant to pose a threat against us in the West and proved to be a major persuading factor in the decision to go to war against Iraq.

We all desire peace, as did Sadako Sasaki, but the issues are often clouded and "infected" by fear of the enemy.

I completed a B.A.(Hons) degree in Fine Art, at Wirral Metropolitan College, in 2002. I spent a further year there as a Fellow and I will complete my studies for an M.A. in Fine Art, at the University of Central Lancashire, in September 2005. I am currently working as a part-time lecturer in art, Foundation level, at Liverpool Community College.

I became interested in the peace crane after reading the story of Sadako Sasaki and, in October 2002, I staged an art/peace/performance event at a church in Liverpool which had been bombed during the 2nd World War. I threw 1,000 paper peace cranes from the tower of the church and invited members of the public, some of whom had helped to make the models, to collect the birds. There were four printed designs of birds, each showing a different disease;namely Anthrax, Smallpox, Typhoid and Cholera. The first two prints were a reminder of two of the biological weapons which we were told posed a threat to us from Iraq but, evidence of which, has never been found. The second two were diseases which posed a threat to the people of Iraq as a direct result of the war, due to contamination of water supplies. In printing these designs onto the origami paper I wanted to bring the peace crane image up to date and relate it to modern day warfare.

My art practice consists of print, especially etching, photography, hand-made paper and installation work.

Barbara Jones 2005

1000 Cranes,Sadako Sasaki, and Hiroshima

At the age of twelve, a Japanese girl living in Hiroshima, Sadako Sasaki fell ill from Leukaemia. Sadako had been a baby when the bomb had dropped but lived within two kilometres of where the bomb exploded. The disease was attributed to the side effects of the atomic bomb.

A visitor to her in Hospital told Sadako of a legend. She told her that if a sick person folded 1,000 paper cranes they would soon get well. The crane was a sacred bird in Japan that lives for a hundred years. Determined to beat her illness Sadako set about folding 1,000 cranes. She kept folding throughout her illness but sadly died before completing the task. She had managed to make 644 paper cranes.

Word of Sadako's efforts spread quickly throughout Japan and overseas, and money was collected to build a monument to her memory.On May 5, 1958, almost 3 years after Sadako died, a monument to her was constructed close to the centre of the Hiroshima Peace Park. It is now known as the Children's Peace Monument.

People from all over the world continue to send folded paper cranes in memory of Sadako Sasaki. On August 6, world peace day, a ceremony is held in her memory where the cranes are placed on the monument.

Folding 1000 cranes continues to be associated with Hiroshima and other peace movements who use origami cranes as a method of showing their commitment to world peace.

Mark Bolitho