GUNS IN THE HANDS OF ARTISTS AT WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY IN ST. LOUIS

GUNS IN THE HANDS OF ARTISTS
September 16, 2015 -November 21, 2015
Opening Reception: 6-9p September 16
Des Lee Gallery, 1627 Washington Ave.

The Des Lee Gallery presents Guns In The Hands of Artists, a pivotal exhibition that has started a national dialogue within the arts. Conceived of in the mid-1990s, the exhibition grew out of artist Brian Borrello's response to the growing gun violence crisis in New Orleans. Together with gallery owner Jonathan Ferrara, the two mounted the first Guns In The Hands of Artists show in 1996.

In 2014, Ferrara reorganized the exhibition to feature work by internationally recognized artists. Through their own medium, each artist has used the decommissioned firearms to create works that express a thought, make a statement, open a discussion, and stimulate thinking about guns in our culture.

As we witness the rise of gun violence across the city and counties of St. Louis, and in conjunction with Washington University's commitment to taking a hard look at the serious, tragic public health consequences of gun violence in America, the Sam Fox School hopes to engage partners and collaborators to develop additional programming and present unique opportunities for individuals and communities to engage in the conversation about guns in our society, using art as the catalyst for dialogue.