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 Peace Odyssey Intro

JAPAN~CHINA~USA
CANADA~DENMARK
A peace odyssey for global citizenship
 
World Citizenship Peace Tour
 
   
Japan Peace Tour
 
 
China Peace Tour
 
International Peace Research Association
International People’s College
USA, Canada, Denmark
 
Anti-War Banner Art
     
 
War to Peace Banner Art

Artist and Educator Work for Peace 2005-2006:
Susan Gelber Cannon and J. Kadir Cannon
Connecting for Peace in a Culture of War

     
   

I believe that as the world becomes smaller, we need to develop a sense of world citizenship that goes beyond nations and the political leaders who manage our countries.
My role in this collaboration was to use art as a tool for provoking awareness and discussion of global peace issues. I used my series of found-object assemblages, Anguished Art: Outcries for Peace, my digital movie, Who’s Telling Our Story?, and a set of anti-war, pro-peace banner- scrolls Outcries for Peace, based on my Anguished Art series during travel to the American Midwest and international travel to Japan, China, Canada, and Denmark. I met with citizens in various settings from countryside to city. I taught university students in the U.S., Japan, China, and Denmark, addressed community groups, and met Asian artists in Japan and China, creating art and peace events with them. I am currently working on a three-country collaboration among artists and dancers from United States, Japan, and China with the theme of global citizenship and peace.


 
   

To exhibit my Anguished Art: Outcries for Peace paintings and sculptures, or my Outcries for Peace Banner Art, or to have me perform Who's Telling Our Story?, please contact me at

jkadircannon@gmail.com

   
               
   
   
   
 
Higashiaichi Color News

“Peace through Dialogue”
An Appeal through Masked Plays


On the 23rd of this month, Mr. Kadir Cannon (59) an artist from Pennsylvania, performed a masked play with friends on the Pedestrian Deck of Toyohashi Station in order to protest the United States’ ambition to acquire “peace at any cost.” Mr. Cannon’s play appealed the message of “peace through dialogue”

According to Mr. Cannon, the US invaded Afghanistan and attacked Iraq after 9/11 in order to wage war against terrorism. Mr. Cannon objects the US message of “peace at any cost.” He came to Japan in order to appeal his message of peace at Hiroshima, a city which has come to symbolize the devastating effects of “peace at any cost.” He decided also to perform in Toyohashi, where he has acquaintances.

The play explores how the world today has attempted to secure world peace. In the play, a powerful dictator manipulates the world at will, and the people around him are drawn into the realm of his power.

One can almost feel Mr. Cannon’s passion through the play. In the scene where all the characters wear masks that resemble death masks, many in the audience could scarcely look at the characters.

As the play is didactic, in the end, the characters form solidarity and recapture peace from the powerful dictator. When the play ended, there was a loud applause from the audience.
 
 
 
Asahi Newspaper, April 23rd 2006

" Stop the War”: (A Message) from Toyohashi to the World


Mr. Kadir Cannon (59), whose father was involved in the development of the atomic bomb, and his wife Susan (53) are appealing their message of peace by presenting an art video and performing skits in front of the Toyohashi train station. “It is ordinary citizens who can stop the war,” they say. “We want to unite (the message of peace) amongst the people of the world.”

Mr. Cannon’s father was a physicist who was involved in the Manhattan Project, but after the war he protested the use of nuclear weapons. As a child, Mr. Cannon was deeply influenced by his father. Since September 11th, Mr. Cannon’s artistic work reflects the tragic way in which ordinary citizens become entangled in war. “Global communication is most important,” he says. His art appeals a message of peace that transcends the barrier of language.

Middle School Teacher Susan Cannon has created a banner by connecting over 100 messages of peace written by schoolchildren and friends throughout the world. She plans to surround the stage with the banner which expresses their thoughts on peace.

At the event, Mr. and Mrs. Cannon, accompanied by local artist Ms. Yuko Innami (53) and a group of 16 people, will present skits and an art video. They will also prepare an area where passersby can stop and write messages on the banner of peace.

This is the Cannons’ first visit to Japan. “We wanted to send a message of peace from the country that first suffered from the devastation of the atomic bomb,” they say. They are looking forward to sharing their message of peace at the event. The event will take place on the 23rd, from 1-3pm, at the West Exit of Circle Plaza.
 
 
 

Peace Banner collaboratively created by Japanese and American artists