Light Painting: Nuclear Radiation Testing in Fukushima

A special light painting technique reveals radioactive contamination in Fukushima.

Five years after Fukushima and thirty years after Chernobyl disasters, radioactive contamination continues to impact communities, but as the source of the problem is invisible the relative risks remain difficult to communicate. Photography exploring the impact of nuclear disasters often focuses on portraiture of victims, deserted landscapes, decaying buildings, or measurement readings on technical equipment – all of which are useful, but abstract and disconnected from the source of the problem. Using long exposure photography and a custom made, geiger counter-enabled LED light painting tool, this project makes the invisible visible, measuring and displaying radiation levels in real-time, in the environments it exists. Inspired by the Immaterials wifi light painting project, we have sought to make environmental contamination clear and understandable using a white/orange/red lighting scale. White represents levels under 0.23uSv per hour (1mSv per year) - the Japanese government’s guideline for decontamination after Fukushima. Orange shows contamination levels elevated above this, up to 1.0uSv per hour (roughly 5mSv per year) - a range where protective measures to minimize radiation exposure (such as resettlement, decontamination, special health services, food controls, etc) should be considered. Red shows radioactivity greater than 1.0uSv per year (upwards of 5mSv per year) – a level where protective measures to minimize radiation exposure are necessary.