From March to September of this year, the Albuquerque Museum, located in Old Town, is displaying “Nuclear Communities of the Southwest,” an exhibit that tells the story of the history of nuclear science and the people it continues to affect.
The exhibit features historical objects and artist reactions to New Mexico’s involvement in nuclear development, according to the City of Albuquerque website.
The 2023 release of the film “Oppenheimer” brought renewed interest to Los Alamos and the nuclear history of New Mexico.
However, the stories of the locals and the aftermath of the 1945 nuclear testing at the Trinity site in the White Sands Missile Range have gone largely unheard. Those who live near the Trinity site – disproportionately affected by disease and death – have not been recognized or compensated by the United States government, according to Source New Mexico.
“Nuclear Communities of the Southwest” features a quote from Los Alamos Health Group Director Louis Hempelmann who said the scientists who developed the atomic bomb “thought they got away with it” — referring to the potential radiation exposure to the Tularosa and White Sands locals.
The exhibit includes art, historically archived photos and other facts about the evolution of nuclear science in New Mexico since J. Robert Oppenheimer’s Manhattan Project developed the first atomic bomb and changed the course of global history. The Manhattan Project was a secret United States project during World War II to develop the atomic bomb before Nazi Germany, according to the National Park Service.
The exhibit features multiple art pieces by local artists depicting the effects of the Trinity test and nuclear science on New Mexicans. Artist Eric García created “Miss Atomic Bomb” in 2023 — an image of a skeleton beauty queen standing in front of an atomic bomb.
A native of Torreon, New Mexico, located about 90 miles north of the Trinity site, García said he has felt firsthand the effects the testing of the atomic bomb had on New Mexicans, particularly those who call the White Sands region home.
“My parents are downwinders — they lived directly north of White Sands. When the atomic bomb exploded, the fallout also spread north to Torrance County, where my parents are from, so it directly affected my family,” García said.
García’s familial ties to the nuclear testing inspired him to create his own unique piece to communicate the dark side of the Atomic Age, he said.
The Atomic Age began around the time of the atomic bomb detonation in July 1945, when “the fear of nuclear attack and the promise of people in power pervaded American culture,” according to the Digital Public Library of America.
“I’d heard about a pageant held in the 1950s in Nevada, where they were trying to re-brand the Atomic Age, and I decided to rethink the idea and tell the story of the harsh reality of the bomb,” García said. “(‘Miss Atomic Bomb’) depicts a figure of death with a beauty queen persona, wearing a crown made of an explosive mushroom cloud.”
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The exhibit also mentions uranium mining near Grants, New Mexico. Uranium spills have affected nearby communities and water.
The Church Rock spill of 1979 – the largest spill of radioactive material in the United States – released 94 million gallons of radioactive waste into the Rio Puerco, according to a New Mexico In Depth article. This poisoned the water table for every community living along the river, according to the exhibit.
Around 500 uranium mines have been abandoned, according to the exhibit. These are located on Navajo land, and an unknown quantity of houses and water sources contain radioactive material, according to the N.M. In Depth article.
Additionally, the exhibit features eight photos of women who worked at Kirtland Air Force Base – then known as Kirtland Field – during the Manhattan Project in the 1950s. These women were known as the “Manhattan Eight,” and investigated for rumors of them being lesbians, according to the exhibit. Their identities remain unknown, according to KUOW.
“Nuclear Communities of the Southwest” will be shown until Sept. 15.
Editor’s note: Eric García worked at the Daily Lobo during his time at the University of New Mexico, but graduated in 2006.
Maria Fernandez is a freelance reporter at the Daily Lobo. She can be reached at culture@dailylobo.com
