On the Neutron Trail, Northern New Mexico: Copyright © 2011 Olivia Fermi

“Human ingenuity and human aggression are not compatible. This conflict has the potential to destroy our civilization and possibly our species.”
– Jerome I. Friedman (1930-  ), PhD, Nobel Laureate Physics, Enrico Fermi’s last graduate student

There are dark and light sides of being human  — things we’re proud of and things we find hard to accept. I grew up with that reality. My grandfather Enrico Fermi participated in the birth of the atomic era, of both energy and weapons. His story is our story. Individually and collectively we grapple with human ingenuity and aggression.

With the help of my grandmother Laura Fermi, and many others, I came to see how circumstances and world events create a crucible of forces. These forces along with our individual and collective values profoundly affect how we make choices in society.

The Neutron Trail is a cultural exploration of choices and the belief systems that fuel those choices. In a sense, we’re all on the Trail. Our choices, for better or worse, create a shared legacy and potential for our future.

Now, the future is calling to us. As nimbly and quickly as we’ve developed technology, can we develop in ourselves a healthier relationship with each other and our world? If so how?

The Neutron Trail offers one avenue to explore these questions. I invite you to trek with me…

“Olivia Fermi’s Neutron Trail is a courageous exploration of family roots, the biggest scientific discoveries of the 20th century and the story of how, as an artist and psychological healer, she tackled this history emotionally. As the granddaughter of famed physicist Enrico Fermi, who was part of the team who developed the nuclear bomb, she grew up proud of his scientific achievements, but as she matured became more aware of the impact of his discoveries. These dualities were extremely challenging on a personal level and Olivia has investigated and parsed many facets of the nuclear age.

From poetry to dance to performance art to interviews with survivors of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, she creates a map of mourning, of healing, of forgiveness, understanding and even joy and humor. The Neutron Trail is rich and genuine and gifts us with surprisingly concrete tools for ‘a way through’ the dualities in all our lives. If you can figure out who you are and where you are relative to ‘the bomb’, you can certainly figure out other wrinkles in your lifeline.”  — Colleen McLaughlin Barlow, Artist and former CBC Journalist