On 6th and 9th August 1945, the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki were obliterated in mere seconds by the first – and so far, only – use of nuclear weapons in war. More than 100,000 lives were instantly lost, with many more dying from injuries and radiation in the months and years that followed. To mark the 80th anniversary of this world-changing event, the Imperial War Museums (IWM) are presenting I Saw the World End, a deeply affecting digital diptych by celebrated British artist Es Devlin in collaboration with long-term studio colleague Machiko Weston.
Premiering on 6th August 2025 at London’s iconic Piccadilly Lights, the ten-minute artwork distils the unimaginable scale of devastation into a ten-second timeline – the span in which both Japanese cities were largely destroyed. It fuses British and Japanese cultural perspectives to explore the moment the nature of war, and humanity’s capacity for destruction, changed forever.
Stills from I Saw the World End. The artwork highlights precise moments of destruction within a ten-second period – the time it took for the nuclear weapons to eliminate both Japanese cities. Images courtesy of Es Devlin.
The Piccadilly Lights screening – Europe’s largest LED display – is more than a visual spectacle. It’s a poignant meditation on memory, trauma, and the cultural legacy of nuclear warfare. As Devlin and Weston explain, the work investigates both the physical impact of the bombings and the mythological repercussions passed from one generation to the next. “From one millionth of a second to ten seconds… from our grandparents, to our parents, to our own perception of this moment,” they reflect. The piece serves not only as an act of remembrance but also as a confrontation with the ongoing spectre of extinction and the fragile boundaries of peace.
Audiences are invited to gather before the screening, which begins at 8.45pm sharp. This participatory dimension is typical of Devlin’s work, which often involves communal choral or spatial experiences. Weston’s influence, with her keen sensitivity to visual storytelling and the relationship between Japanese and British cultures, adds further nuance.
Left: the explosion of the atomic bomb over Hiroshima, captured by US Army Air Force Soldier, George, R. Caron.
Right: Still from Hideo Sekigawa’s Hiroshima, released in 1953. The film depicts the aftermath of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima.
Devlin, known for her monumental works at institutions such as the V&A, the Royal Opera House, and global events like the Olympics and Super Bowl, continues to push the boundaries of public art. I Saw the World End is not just a remembrance of past horror; it is a cultural call to consciousness. In a world still fraught with nuclear tension, the work asks us not only to look back, but to look forward with urgent clarity.
By embedding historical tragedy within a contemporary urban canvas, Devlin and Weston transform London’s most famous screen into a space for mourning, dialogue, and hope. As we reckon with the consequences of war – past and present – I Saw the World End reminds us of our shared responsibility to ensure it never happens again.
Author: Julia Pasarón
Lead image: Still from I Saw the World End. Image courtesy of Es Devlin.
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