The Peace Gate — Using a Thousand Paper Cranes

By Judy Adams
WILPF Peninsula Palo Alto

As a follow-up to our branch’s installation of 2,080 origami cranes outside Menlo Park’s Art Ventures Gallery for last year’s 75th anniversary of the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki project of our branch, the gallery owner was not technically commissioned by the gallery owner, but after she sent out a call to artists for this year’s sculpture fair, artist Lisa Solomon “answered the call.” Solomon created new work using 1000 of the cranes made by community volunteers and branch members. Judy Adams organized the original project (see video). Gallery owner Katharina Powers is also the founder of the Menlo Park Public Art non-profit.  

Solomon’s sculpture, The Peace Gate, is inspired by Japanese gates outside Shinto/Buddhist temples or sacred places.  The redwood gate was installed in a grove of trees on the campus (one of 30+ large sculptures). All present at the dedication had free entry to the sculpture fair for the day. The artist finished hanging the traditional 1000 peace cranes, as fair-goers assembled.  Shahat Lin, a peace activist, and dancer, performed two sections of his Dance of Peace, which he often performs at local peace rallies (such as the July 22 vigil Judy organized for the TPNW) part of our branch regular small noon peace and justice vigils on a busy Palo Alto corner. 

Click here for a gallery of images.

Adams introduced events at the Peace Gates installation in a grove of trees, and displayed a calligraphed Japanese character for “seed” that stood for our hope that the gate would be a seed for acts of peace and nuclear disarmament. The sculptor, whose mother is Japanese, completed hanging the cranes while people gathered to watch, and spoke about her work.   

The Peace Gate will remain on the campus after the sculpture fair, and it is hoped that the Menlo Park City Council will agree to have the Peace Gate installed at a local park. Adams recruited the city for Mayors for Peace in 2018 and then-mayor, Peter Ohtaki, a Japanese American, issued a proclamation for MfP on Hiroshima Day, Aug. 6. In 2020 then-mayor Cecilia Taylor declared Aug. 6-9 as part of peace week for the city, in recognition of the 2080 paper cranes residents of the city and surrounding cities created.

The photos may be used freely for non-commercial purposes, including journalism, provided that the photographer is credited whenever they are used (Bruce Lescher, ProBonoPhoto.org The photo of the organizers at the Peace Gate is by Becky Fischbach and used with permission.)