31 Americans are murdered with guns daily and 151 are treated for gun assault. (1) Our firearm homicide rate is 20x higher than the COMBINED rates of 22 peer countries. (2) The problem is urgent and warrants an exhibition dedicated to exploring the complex issues surrounding gun violence. As metalsmiths, we harness skills to alter guns to produce sculpture; the notion of turning Swords into Plowshares. (3)
The Innovative Merger of Art & Guns to Inspire New Expressions, or IMAGINE PEACE NOW Exhibition, is a call to arms, hearts and hands intended especially for contemporary metal artists. Included work will respond to, and initiate conversations regarding, the gun violence so prevalent in American culture today. We are soliciting proposals for art via an open call for proposals from the greater metals community. Submitted proposals must be accompanied by a detailed drawing, a brief (100 word maximum) statement to qualify. All entrants will be asked to pay a fee to help defray our shipping and operational costs. A portion of the fee will be returned upon receipt of completed work for the exhibition. All works will be for sale. A percentage of sales proceeds will be donated to the Brady Campaign, the Rhode Island Coalition Against Gun Violence and also to the Society of North American Goldsmiths.
A panel of three prominent Jurors will join me in selecting work for the show, for the catalog and for Awards (based on acquiring funding).
Emily Zilber, Boston MFA,
Monica Moses, American Craft Magazine
Shepard Fairey, Artist
Boris Bally, Metalsmith
Criteria for selected work will be based on overall design, skill and impact.
Due to the finite number of disabled guns available for this project, entries will be accepted on a first come basis. Invited and accepted entrants will be shipped the dismantled weapons to transform into (un)loaded objects of art.
Catalog/ Website
Either a physical, illustrated catalog and/or a website are planned and will include an introduction to the exhibition as well as written contributions from the jurors, established crafts curators, scholars and celebrity peace activists.
Although we have not yet secured an opening exhibition site, we are in conversation with several National galleries and museums, which are under consideration. There will be a push to seek additional venues and for the show to travel.
