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Whither Has Peace Gone

2003

Images

A 50 1/2 by 50 1/2 diamond shaped black painting with a red peace sign. The ring around the peace sign is black with a white inner and outer outline. In it the work's title, "Whither Has Peace Gone," is written in white letters. The word whither appears on the top half, and "has peace gone" appears on the bottom half. A white arrow pointing down appears between the words whither and has, and a white arrow pointing up appears between the words gone and whither. Red rectangular bands of paint go from the outer edge of the circle to each corner of the triangle.

Whither Has Peace Gone

2003

Oil on canvas

50 1/2 × 50 1/2 in. (128.3 × 128.3 cm), diamond

 

Artwork: © Star of Hope Foundation, Vinalhaven, Maine

Gerald Holtom's peace sign stands for "nuclear disarmament," and incorporates the letters "N" and "D" from the semaphore alphabet, which is used by sailors to communicate from a distance with flags

Gerald Holtom's peace sign stands for "nuclear disarmament," and incorporates the letters "N" and "D" from the semaphore alphabet, which is used by sailors to communicate from a distance with flags

Description

Whither Has Peace Gone is one of 24 Peace Paintings created by the artist in 2003. The works include square canvases and one- and four-panel diamond shaped paintings. A response to 9/11, they are a continuation of the political themes found in Indiana’s work since his days on Coenties Slip. These include sculptures such as French Atomic Bomb (1959–60) and Cuba (1960–62), and the painting Yield Brother (1963), made in response to Bertrand Russell’s worldwide plea for support of his antinuclear peace program. As in Yield Brother, Indiana’s Peace Paintings incorporate the modern peace sign, designed by Gerald Holtom in 1958 for the British Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament. In all of the works a circle surrounding the sign contains text, in some it laments the lack of peace, in others it calls for action.