I am the oldest of five brothers. The next born son of my parents lived for only several days. The next son was stillborn and the next was miscarried late in the third trimester. The cause of each of these tragedies was traced to genetic abnormalities. My youngest brother, Richard, eventually succumbed to complications associated with two separate bouts of lymphatic cancer. He lived until he was 32 years of age.
There is a tremendous amount of pain and guilt associated with these horrendous endings. It is almost impossible to eliminate or even subdue the feelings that something could have been done differently or avoided. Unfortunately, these feelings are amplified in my family. My mother, Kimiko Takaki, was eleven years old on August 9th, 1945 and living in Sasebo, Japan, which is about 45 miles away from the atomic bomb blast in Nagasaki that fateful day. About half of the 80 thousand deaths from the attack on Nagasaki occurred in the first day, while the other half of the deaths occurred from radiation sickness and burns in the following few months. Realistically, the ultimate death toll is at least ten times higher when you approximate the longterm effects of severe, acute exposure to gamma radiation. My mother and each of her four siblings died of rare genetic disorders and/or cancer at ages much younger than the median life expectancy.
I remain hyper-vigilant towards my own cancer diagnosis and exhibit my own feelings of survivor’s guilt. These feelings and family history and experiences drive my artistic hand.
Michael Koerner (Okinawa, Japan, 1963) is the oldest of five brothers. Due to genetic abnormalities and cancer, he is the only remaining living son. His brothers' fates (and potentially his own one day) can be linked to their mother, who was eleven years old on August 9, 1945 when the atomic bomb was dropped on Nagasaki. She lived in Sasebo, Japan, 45 miles away from the blast. The long-term effects of severe, acute exposure to gamma radiation led to his mother’s death at an early age, and all of his brothers. Koerner’s work explores his family history and genetics through small tintypes, using photographic chemistry to assimilate the bursts and biochemical fallout from the atom bomb.
All images are unique collodion on tin plates. Single images range in size from 8 x 6", 9 x 6", to 8 x 12". Diptychs, triptychs, quads, and groups of 6 are also available. Pieces range in price from $2200 to $17,000, depending on the size.
View the catalog for Michael Koerner's exhibition Hibakusha: A tribute to the 75th anniversary of the atomic bombings
Please email catherine@edelmangallery.com for prices of specific pieces.
Prices are print only unless otherwise indicated.
Michael Koerner, Birch (mi) Tama #0388TL, #0396TR, #0392BL, #0400BR, 2020
From the My DNA series
[4] 8 x 12" collodion on tin
UniqueMichael Koerner, Blue DNA #0973, 2021
From the My DNA series
8 x 12" collodion on tin
UniqueMichael Koerner, Blue DNA #1177L - #1181R, 2021
From the My DNA series
[2] 12 x 8" collodion on tin
UniqueMichael Koerner, Blue DNA #1189L - #1185R, 2021
From the My DNA series
[2] 12 x 8" collodion on tin
UniqueMichael Koerner, Blue DNA #1197L - #1193R, 2021
From the My DNA series
[2] 12 x 8" collodion on tin
UniqueMichael Koerner, Blue DNA #1225L - #1229R, 2021
From the My DNA series
[2] 12 x 8" collodion on tin
UniqueMichael Koerner, Blue DNA #1233L - #1237R, 2021, 2021
From the My DNA series
[2] 12 x 8" collodion on tin
UniqueMichael Koerner, Brothers #0655, 2023
From the My DNA series
6 x 8" collodion on tin
UniqueMichael Koerner, Congregation #8161, 2019
From the My DNA series
8 x 6" collodion on tin
UniqueMichael Koerner, Coronae #9866, 2017
From the My DNA series
6 x 8" collodion on tin
UniqueMichael Koerner, Coronae #9870, 2017
From the My DNA series
6 x 8" collodion on tin
UniqueMichael Koerner, Coronae #9892, 2017
From the My DNA series
6 x 8" collodion on tin
UniqueMichael Koerner, Coronae #9903, 2017
From the My DNA series
6 x 8" collodion on tin
UniqueMichael Koerner, Coronae #9907, 2017
From the My DNA series
8 x 6" collodion on tin
UniqueMichael Koerner, Diminish #7330, 2018
From the My DNA series
8 x 6" collodion on tin
UniqueMichael Koerner, Diminish #7615, 2018
From the My DNA series
8 x 6" collodion on tin
UniqueMichael Koerner, DNA #8177L - #8181R, 2019
From the My DNA series
2] 8 x 6" collodion on tin
UniqueMichael Koerner, DNA #8273L - #8277R, 2019
From the My DNA series
2] 8 x 6" collodion on tin
UniqueMichael Koerner, DNA #8315L - #8319R, 2019
From the My DNA series
[2] 8 x 6" collodion on tin
UniqueMichael Koerner, DNA #8554L - #8550R, 2019
From the My DNA series
[2] 8 x 6" collodion on tin
UniqueMichael Koerner, DNA #8566L - #8570R, 2019
From the My DNA series
2] 8 x 6" collodion on tin
UniqueMichael Koerner, DNA #8575L - #8579R, 2019
From the My DNA series
2] 8 x 6" collodion on tin
UniqueMichael Koerner, DNA #8856, 2019
From the My DNA series
8 x 6" collodion on tin
UniqueMichael Koerner, DNA #8869, 2019
From the My DNA series
8 x 6" collodion on tin
UniqueMichael Koerner, DNA #8881, 2019
From the My DNA series
6 x 8" collodion on tin
UniqueMichael Koerner, DNA #8918L - #8922R, 2019
From the My DNA series
2] 8 x 6" collodion on tin
UniqueMichael Koerner, DNA Strand #8902, 2019
From the My DNA series
6 x 8" collodion on tin
UniqueMichael Koerner, DNA Strand #8906, 2019
From the My DNA series
6 x 8" collodion on tin
UniqueMichael Koerner, Enso #2495, 2022
From the My DNA series
12 x 8" collodion on tin
UniqueMichael Koerner, Enso #2503, 2022
From the My DNA series
8 x 12" collodion on tin
UniqueMichael Koerner, Enso #2507, 2022
From the My DNA series
12 x 8" collodion on tin
UniqueMichael Koerner, Enso DNA Diptych #2447L-#2451R, 2022
From the My DNA series
[2] 12 x 8" collodion on tin
UniqueMichael Koerner, Enso DNA Diptych #2463L-#2467R, 2022
From the My DNA series
[2] 12 x 8" collodion on tin
UniqueMichael Koerner, Enso DNA Diptych #2475L-#2471R, 2022
From the My DNA series
[2] 12 x 8" collodion on tin
UniqueMichael Koerner, Enso DNA Diptych #2491L-#2484R, 2022
From the My DNA series
[2] 12 x 8" collodion on tin
UniqueMichael Koerner, Flow #266L-#270R, 2019
From the My DNA series
[2] 12 x 8” collodion on tin plates
UniqueMichael Koerner, Gene Pool #8729, 2019
From the My DNA series
6 x 8" collodion on tin
UniqueMichael Koerner, Gene Pool #8730, 2019
From the My DNA series
8 x 6" collodion on tin
UniqueMichael Koerner, Gene Pool #8749, 2019
From the My DNA series
8 x 6" collodion on tin
UniqueMichael Koerner, Gene Pool #8753, 2019
From the My DNA series
8 x 6" collodion on tin
UniqueMichael Koerner, Gene Pool #8757, 2019
From the My DNA series
8 x 6" collodion on tin
UniqueMichael Koerner, Hibakusha #0424, 2020
From the Hibakusha series
12 x 8 collodion on tin
UniqueMichael Koerner, Hibakusha #0428, 2020
From the Hibakusha series
12 x 8 collodion on tin
UniqueMichael Koerner, Hibakusha #0432, 2020
From the Hibakusha series
12 x 8 collodion on tin
UniqueMichael Koerner, Hibakusha #0436, 2020
From the Hibakusha series
12 x 8 collodion on tin
UniqueMichael Koerner, Hibakusha #0440, 2020
From the Hibakusha series
12 x 8 collodion on tin
UniqueMichael Koerner, Hibakusha #0444, 2020
From the Hibakusha series
12 x 8 collodion on tin
UniqueMichael Koerner, Hibakusha Families #0448, 2020
From the Hibakusha series
8 x 12" collodion on tin
UniqueMichael Koerner, Hibakusha Families #0452, 2020
From the Hibakusha series
8 x 12" collodion on tin
UniqueMichael Koerner, Hibakusha Families #0456, 2020
From the Hibakusha series
8 x 12" collodion on tin
UniqueMichael Koerner, Hibakusha Families #0460, 2020
From the Hibakusha series
8 x 12" collodion on tin
UniqueMichael Koerner, Hibakusha Families #0464, 2020
From the Hibakusha series
8 x 12" collodion on tin
UniqueMichael Koerner, Hibakusha Families #0468, 2020
From the Hibakusha series
8 x 12" collodion on tin
UniqueMichael Koerner, Hibakusha Landscape #0404L - #0420R, 2020
From the Hibakusha series
[2] 12 x 8 collodion on tin
UniqueMichael Koerner, Hibakusha Landscape #0416L, #0408C, #0412R, 2020
From the Hibakusha series
[3] 12 x 8 collodion on tin
UniqueMichael Koerner, Hibakusha Landscape #0745L-#0749R, 2020
From the Hibakusha series
[2] 18 x 12" collodion on tin
UniqueMichael Koerner, Hibakusha Truth (Shodo) #0736, 2020
From the Hibakusha series
12 x 8 collodion on tin
UniqueMichael Koerner, Kami #0490TL, #0494TR, #0486BL, #0482BR, 2020
From the My DNA series
[4] 12 x 8 collodion on tin
UniqueMichael Koerner, Kami #0498TL, #0502TR, #0510BL, #0506BR, 2020
From the My DNA series
[4] 12 x 8 collodion on tin
UniqueMichael Koerner, Kin Tsu Gi DNA #2088, 2022
From the My DNA series
8 x 12" collodion on tin
UniqueMichael Koerner, Kin Tsu Gi DNA #2091, 2022
From the My DNA series
8 x 12" collodion on tin
UniqueMichael Koerner, Kin Tsu Gi DNA #2110, 2022
From the My DNA series
8 x 12" collodion on tin
UniqueMichael Koerner, Kin Tsu Gi DNA #2114, 2022
From the My DNA series
8 x 12" collodion on tin
UniqueMichael Koerner, Kin Tsu Gi DNA #2138, 2022
From the My DNA series
8 x 12" collodion on tin
UniqueMichael Koerner, Kin Tsu Gi DNA #2142, 2023
From the My DNA series
8 x 12" collodion on tin
UniqueMichael Koerner, Kin Tsu Gi DNA #2162, 2023
From the My DNA series
8 x 12" collodion on tin
UniqueMichael Koerner, Kin Tsu Gi DNA #2200, 2023
From the My DNA series
8 x 12" collodion on tin
UniqueMichael Koerner, Kin Tsu Gi DNA #2218, 2023
From the My DNA series
8 x 12" collodion on tin
UniqueMichael Koerner, Maru #7745, 2018
From the My DNA series
8 x 6" collodion on tin
UniqueMichael Koerner, Phases #1450, 2017
From the My DNA series
6 x 8" collodion on tin
UniqueMichael Koerner, Phases #4736, 2017
From the My DNA series
6 x 8" collodion on tin
UniqueMichael Koerner, Phases #4741, 2017
From the My DNA series
6 x 8" collodion on tin
UniqueMichael Koerner, Phases #4745, 2017
From the My DNA series
6 x 8" collodion on tin
UniqueMichael Koerner, Shifted #7528, 2018
From the My DNA series
8 x 6" collodion on tin
UniqueMichael Koerner, Telos DNA #8717, 2019
From the My DNA series
6 x 8" collodion on tin
UniqueMichael Koerner, Telos DNA #8745, 2019
From the My DNA series
8 x 6" collodion on tin
UniqueMichael Koerner, Telos DNA #8761, 2019
From the My DNA series
8 x 6" collodion on tin
UniqueMichael Koerner, Telos DNA #8769, 2019
From the My DNA series
8 x 6" collodion on tin
UniqueMichael Koerner, Telos DNA #8777, 2019
From the My DNA series
8 x 6" collodion on tin
UniqueMichael Koerner, Telos DNA #8781L - #8773R, 2019
From the My DNA series
(2) 8 x 6" collodion on tin
UniqueMichael Koerner, Telos DNA #8789, 2019
From the My DNA series
8 x 6" collodion on tin
UniqueMichael Koerner, Telos DNA #8793, 2019
From the My DNA series
8 x 6" collodion on tin
UniqueMichael Koerner, Telos DNA #8797, 2019
From the My DNA series
6 x 8" collodion on tin
UniqueMichael Koerner, Telos DNA #8801, 2019
From the My DNA series
8 x 6" collodion on tin
UniqueMichael Koerner, Telos DNA #8817T - #8813B, 2019
From the My DNA series
(2) 6 x 8" collodion on tin
UniqueMichael Koerner, Tendrilles #0057, 2015
From the My DNA series
9 x 6" collodion on tin
UniqueMichael Koerner, Teslos DNA #8825T - #8821B, 2019
From the My DNA series
(2) 6 x 8" collodion on tin
UniqueMichael Koerner, The Beast Diagnosis #0274, 2019
From the My DNA series
8 x 12" collodion on tin
UniqueMichael Koerner, The Beast Diagnosis #8938, 2019
From the My DNA series
8 x 12" collodion on tin
UniqueMichael Koerner, The Beast Diagnosis #8959T - #8955B, 2019
From the My DNA series
2] 12 x 8" collodion on tin
UniqueMichael Koerner, The Beast Diagnosis #8964, 2019
From the My DNA series
8 x 12" collodion on tin
UniqueMichael Koerner, The Beast Diagnosis #8972, 2019
From the My DNA series
8 x 12" collodion on tin
UniqueMichael Koerner, The God Cell #0767L-#0763R, 2020
From the The God Cell series
[2] 12 x 8” collodion on tin plates
UniqueMichael Koerner, The God Cell #0771L-#0832R, 2020
From the The God Cell series
[2] 12 x 8” collodion on tin plates
UniqueMichael Koerner, The God Cell #0816L-#0819R, 2020
From the The God Cell series
[2] 12 x 8” collodion on tin plates
UniqueMichael Koerner, The God Cell #0825L-#0822R, 2020
From the The God Cell series
[2] 12 x 8” collodion on tin plates
UniqueMichael Koerner, The God Cell #0830L-#0827R, 2020
From the The God Cell series
[2] 12 x 8” collodion on tin plates
UniqueMichael Koerner, The God Cell #0850L-#0846R, 2020
From the The God Cell series
[2] 12 x 8” collodion on tin plates
UniqueMichael Koerner, The God Cell #0858L-#0854R, 2020
From the The God Cell series
[2] 12 x 8” collodion on tin plates
UniqueMichael Koerner, The God Cell #0866L-#0862R, 2020
From the The God Cell series
[2] 12 x 8” collodion on tin plates
UniqueMichael Koerner, The God Cell #0870L-#0874R, 2020
From the The God Cell series
[2] 12 x 8” collodion on tin plates
UniqueMichael Koerner, The God Cell #0891L-#0886R, 2020
From the The God Cell series
[2] 12 x 8” collodion on tin plates
UniqueMichael Koerner, The God Cell #0895L-#0899R, 2020
From the The God Cell series
[2] 12 x 8” collodion on tin plates
UniqueMichael Koerner, The God Cell #0911L-#0915R, 2020
From the The God Cell series
[2] 12 x 8” collodion on tin plates
UniqueMichael Koerner, The God Cell #0919L-#0923R, 2020
From the The God Cell series
[2] 12 x 8” collodion on tin plates
UniqueMichael Koerner, The God Cell #0935L/R, 2020
From the The God Cell series
[2] 8 x 6” collodion on tin plates
UniqueMichael Koerner, The God Cell #0939L/R, 2020
From the The God Cell series
[2] 8 x 6” collodion on tin plates
UniqueMichael Koerner, The God Cell #0943L/R, 2020
From the The God Cell series
[2] 8 x 6” collodion on tin plates
UniqueMichael Koerner, The God Cell #0947L/R, 2020
From the The God Cell series
[2] 8 x 6” collodion on tin plates
UniqueMichael Koerner, The God Cell #0951L/R, 2020
From the The God Cell series
[2] 8 x 6” collodion on tin plates
UniqueMichael Koerner, The God Cell #0963L/R, 2020
From the The God Cell series
[2] 8 x 6” collodion on tin plates
UniqueMichael Koerner, Untitled #7902, 2018
From the My DNA series
8 x 6" collodion on tin
uniqueMichael Koerner, Untitled #7906, 2018
From the My DNA series
6 x 8" collodion on tin
uniqueMichael Koerner, Untitled #7913, 2018
From the My DNA series
6 x 8" collodion on tin
uniqueMichael Koerner, Untitled #8169, 2019
From the My DNA series
6 x 8" collodion on tin
UniqueMichael Koerner, Wicca Signs, Familiar #0104, 2015
From the My DNA series
6 x 9" collodion on tin
UniqueMichael Koerner, Worlds #0322L - #0326R, 2020
From the My DNA series
[2] 12 x 8" collodion on tin
UniqueMichael Koerner, Worlds #0351, 2020
From the My DNA series
8 x 12" collodion on tin
UniqueMichael Koerner, Wrinkles In Time #9947, 2017
From the My DNA series
8 x 6" collodion on tin
Unique