Commemorating the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, 20 years on
On 26 December 2004, an earthquake in the Indian Ocean caused a devastating tsunami that killed around 230,000 people in 14 countries. It remains one of the deadliest disasters in recent human history.
The people who lived through this tragedy are forever changed by it.
That is why this year, World Tsunami Awareness Day (WTAD) is honouring the memory of the Indian Ocean Tsunami on its 20th anniversary and highlighting major advances on protecting people since.
This exhibition tells the powerful accounts of tsunami survivors alongside contemporary and historic artworks that capture the sea change of perspective that the aftermath brought, with unprecedented global collaboration on disaster resilience.
Everyone must be tsunami ready – recognise the warning signs, be protected by early warning systems and be able to act quickly and get to high ground. We must have resilient infrastructure so livelihoods are not destroyed and build back better when tsunamis hit.
Tsunamis are rare but the deadliest of all natural hazards. Ensuring every person is ready in case one strikes is the central objective of this exhibition co-organised by the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction, the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO, and partners.
Mr. Rachmad Kurniady
Indonesia
@mattporteous
2004 Indian Ocean Earthquake and Tsunami
Mr. Rachmad Kurniady
Indonesia
@mattporteous
2004 Indian Ocean Earthquake and Tsunami
Escape route at Houraikan
Nr Kamaishi, Iwate Prefecture, Japan
CHRIS WAINWRIGHT
Group performance, Colour photograph, 2015
Ms. Syarifah Nargis
Indonesia
@mattporteous
2004 Indian Ocean Earthquake and Tsunami
Ms. Syarifah Nargis
Indonesia
@mattporteous
2004 Indian Ocean Earthquake and Tsunami
Ms. Aki Kawasaki
Japan
@mattporteous
2011 Great East Japan Tsunami
Ms. Aki Kawasaki
Japan
@mattporteous
2011 Great East Japan Tsunami
Detail, Baptism of concrete estuary, 2012
Acrylic, gouache and ink on paper
JAVE YOSHIMOTO
42 x 366 in
Detail, Baptism of concrete estuary, 2012
Acrylic, gouache and ink on paper
JAVE YOSHIMOTO
42 x 366 in
Detail, Baptism of concrete estuary, 2012
Acrylic, gouache and ink on paper
JAVE YOSHIMOTO
42 x 366 in
Mr. Nelson Cubate
Chile
@mattporteous
1960 Tsunami in Chile
Mr. Nelson Cubate
Chile
@mattporteous
1960 Tsunami in Chile
Der Bergsturz von Goldau, 1806
Pencil and watercolor on paper
DAVID ALOIS SCHMID
38.5 x 59.5 cm
Mr. Emmanouil Pyrgiotis
Greece
@mattporteous
2020 Samos Tsunami
Mr. Emmanouil Pyrgiotis
Greece
@mattporteous
2020 Samos Tsunami
Tsunami, 2015
PUSHPA KUMARI
In the collection of the Queensland Art Gallery
Ink and colours on paper, 60.3 x 45.7 cm
Ms. Padmavathi Mahendran
India
@mattporteous
2004 Indian Ocean Earthquake and Tsunami
Ms. Padmavathi Mahendran
India
@mattporteous
2004 Indian Ocean Earthquake and Tsunami
The 2004 Tsunami in Sri Lanka, 2005
AMRITA DAS
Acrylic paint, paper. Painting: 22 x 30 in. (55.9 x 76.2 cm); Frame: 26 x 34 in. (66 x 86.4 cm)
Collection of Seattle Art Museum (2021.32.19), Gift of David Szanton on behalf of the Ethnic Arts Foundation
Mr. Pradeep Kodippili
Sri Lanka
@mattporteous
Indian Ocean Tsunami
Mr. Rachmad Kurniady
Sri Lanka
@mattporteous
Indian Ocean Tsunami
A Giant Catfish in the Yoshiwara (Shin Yoshiwara o-namazu yurai) Japanese, Edo period, about 1855 (Ansei 2)
ARTIST UNKNOWN, JAPANESE
Woodblock print (nishiki-e); ink and color on paper; Vertical ōban diptych; 36.4 x 50 cm (14 5/16 x 19 11/16 in.)
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, William Sturgis Bigelow Collection, 11.29507.5a-b
Ms. Ichiyo Kanno
Japan
@mattporteous
2011 Great East Japan Tsunami
Ms. Ichiyo Kanno
Japan
@mattporteous
2011 Great East Japan Tsunami
11.3 PROJECT Document, 2011
TSUBASA KATO
Iwaki, Fukushima after the Great East Japan Earthquake
Photographed by Yukari Hirano
11.3 PROJECT Document, 2011
TSUBASA KATO
Iwaki, Fukushima after the Great East Japan Earthquake
The Lighthouses – 11.3 PROJECT, 2011
TSUBASA KATO
Iwaki, Fukushima after the Great East Japan Earthquake
Photographed by Kei Miyajima
Mr. Aydin Tunca
Türkiye
@mattporteous
October 2020 Izmir Tsunami
Mr. Aydin Tunca
Türkiye
@mattporteous
October 2020 Izmir Tsunami
Ms. Nabila Rahmania
Indonesia
@mattporteous
2018 Palu Sulawesi Tsunami
Ms. Nabila Rahmania
Indonesia
@mattporteous
2018 Palu Sulawesi Tsunami
We Are All Stars (Minna ga sutah)
Nr Kamaishi, Iwate Prefecture, Japan
CHRIS WAINWRIGHT
Group performance, Colour photograph, 2015
Mr. Adirianssyah
Indonesia
@mattporteous
2018 Sunda Strait Tsunami
Mr. Adirianssyah
Indonesia
@mattporteous
2018 Sunda Strait Tsunami
Fallen Star, 2012
Stuart Collection, UC San Diego
DO HO SUH
Photo by: Philipp Scholz Rittermann
Fallen Star, 2012
Stuart Collection, UC San Diego
DO HO SUH
Photo by: Philipp Scholz Rittermann
Fallen Star, 2012
Stuart Collection, UC San Diego
DO HO SUH
Photo by: Philipp Scholz Rittermann
Ms. Patricia Carolina Cerda Lobos
Chile
@mattporteous
2010 Tsunami in Chile
Ms. Patricia Carolina Cerda Lobos
Chile
@mattporteous
2010 Tsunami in Chile
Blue Desert, Thailand, 10 am, 2011
Color photograph
SIDNEY RÉGIS
Mr. Arjunan Anjappan
India
@mattporteous
2004 Indian Ocean Earthquake and Tsunami
Mr. Arjunan Anjappan
India
@mattporteous
2004 Indian Ocean Earthquake and Tsunami
Rebirth, 2013-2016
MANABA IKEDA
Pen, acrylic ink and transparent watercolor on paper, mounted on board, 300 × 400 cm
Collection of Saga Prefectural Art Museum
Mr. Sapujih
Indonesia
@mattporteous
2018 Sunda Strait Tsunami
Mr. Sapujih
Indonesia
@mattporteous
2018 Sunda Strait Tsunami
Bracing for Climate Change, 2013
YUKO SHIMZU
Ink drawing on paper, colored with Adobe Photoshop, paper size 20 x 30 in.
Art direction by Heather Haggerty and creative direction by Francesca Messina, GreenSource