Load the Reactor: A Study for the New Nuclear
September 8, 2025 7:00 AM –9:00 PM
Visión general
A new art exhibit at Washington State University Tri-Cities revisits a surprising moment in Washington state history, when Seattle artists rallied in support of a nuclear reactor once located at Hanford. The exhibit, Load the Reactor: A Study for the New Nuclear, opens Sept. 4 at the Art Center in the Consolidated Information Center on the WSU Tri-Cities campus and runs through Feb. 27, 2026.
The exhibit is inspired by a 1992 collaboration between artists and nuclear energy proponents, sparked by sculptor James Acord, who moved from Seattle to the Tri-Cities and immersed himself in Hanford’s nuclear community. Acord’s influence led a group of Seattle artists—calling themselves “YIMBYs” (Yes In My Backyard)—to advocate for the Fast Flux Test Facility (FFTF), a prototype breeder reactor located at Hanford. Their campaign culminated in a series of performances called Load the Reactor at Seattle’s Fremont Fine Arts Foundry, which brought together artists, scientists and the public to discuss the future of nuclear energy.
The exhibit features works by artists James L. Acord, Arthur S. Aubry, Warren Dykeman, Joe Feddersen, Etsuko Ichikawa, Paul Korsmo and Jay Needham. Through a range of multimedia installations, visitors are invited to explore themes including past, present and future reactor technologies, public engagement with nuclear energy, the role of artificial intelligence and data centers, and the evolving relationship between art and science.
A free public opening will be held at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 4 at WSU Tri-Cities in the Art Center (2770 Crimson Way, Richland, WA 99354) and will feature talks by curator Rachel Allen of the Museum of Arts and Culture (MAC); Bruce Hevly, professor of history at the University of Washington; and Jay Needham, artist and professor at Southern Illinois University Carbondale.
The exhibit is sponsored by the WSU Tri-Cities Hanford History Project.
Admisión
Próximas fechas
- Monday, September 8
- Tuesday, September 9
- Wednesday, September 10
- Jueves 11 de septiembre
- Friday, September 12
- Monday, September 15
- Tuesday, September 16
- Wednesday, September 17
- Jueves 18 de septiembre
- Friday, September 19
- Monday, September 22
- Tuesday, September 23
- Wednesday, September 24
- Jueves 25 de septiembre
- Friday, September 26
- Monday, September 29
- Tuesday, September 30
- Wednesday, October 1
- Jueves 2 de octubre
- Friday, October 3
- Monday, October 6
- Tuesday, October 7
- Wednesday, October 8
- Jueves 9 de octubre
- Friday, October 10
- Monday, October 13
- Tuesday, October 14
- Wednesday, October 15
- Jueves 16 de octubre
- Friday, October 17
- Monday, October 20
- Tuesday, October 21
- Wednesday, October 22
- Thursday, October 23
- Friday, October 24
- Monday, October 27
- Tuesday, October 28
- Wednesday, October 29
- Thursday, October 30
- Friday, October 31
- Monday, November 3
- Tuesday, November 4
- Wednesday, November 5
- Thursday, November 6
- Friday, November 7
- Monday, November 10
- Tuesday, November 11
- Wednesday, November 12
- Thursday, November 13
- Friday, November 14
- Monday, November 17
- Tuesday, November 18
- Wednesday, November 19
- Thursday, November 20
- Friday, November 21
- Monday, November 24
- Tuesday, November 25
- Wednesday, November 26
- Thursday, November 27
- Friday, November 28
- Monday, December 1
- Tuesday, December 2
- Wednesday, December 3
- Thursday, December 4
- Friday, December 5
- Monday, December 8
- Tuesday, December 9
- Wednesday, December 10
- Thursday, December 11
- Friday, December 12
- Monday, December 15
- Tuesday, December 16
- Wednesday, December 17
- Thursday, December 18
- Friday, December 19
- Monday, December 22
- Tuesday, December 23
- Wednesday, December 24
- Thursday, December 25
- Friday, December 26
- Monday, December 29
- Tuesday, December 30
- Wednesday, December 31
- Thursday, January 1
- Friday, January 2
- Monday, January 5
- Tuesday, January 6
- Wednesday, January 7
- Thursday, January 8
- Friday, January 9
- Monday, January 12
- Tuesday, January 13
- Wednesday, January 14
- Thursday, January 15
- Friday, January 16
- Monday, January 19
- Tuesday, January 20
- Wednesday, January 21
- Thursday, January 22
- Friday, January 23
- Monday, January 26
- Tuesday, January 27
- Wednesday, January 28
- Thursday, January 29
- Friday, January 30
- Monday, February 2
- Tuesday, February 3
- Wednesday, February 4
- Thursday, February 5
- Friday, February 6
- Monday, February 9
- Tuesday, February 10
- Wednesday, February 11
- Thursday, February 12
- Friday, February 13
- Monday, February 16
- Tuesday, February 17
- Wednesday, February 18
- Thursday, February 19
- Friday, February 20
- Monday, February 23
- Tuesday, February 24
- Wednesday, February 25
- Thursday, February 26
- Friday, February 27