“Art is meant to send a message, to inspire or to provoke emotions,” thedenverchannel.com proclaims. “Inside a Denver metal shop, two artists are doing just that by turning old cameras and photography equipment into sculptures of life-like firearms.” Photographer Jason Siegel and metalworker Keith D’Angelo claim their work isn’t anti-gun . . .
The artists said they’re not doing this to take a certain side on the gun debate and they aren’t from a certain political viewpoint. They’re doing it to send a message.
“It’s crazy the amount of violence that’s going on right now and we think it’s important that we shed light on that,” Siegel commented.
“In the political climate and everything that’s happening in the world today, people get it and it really hits home,” D’Angelo added.
So . . . they are working from a political viewpoint. As underscored by the name of their project: Shoot Portraits not People. [Note to artists: some people — specifically criminals posing an imminent, credible threat of grievous bodily harm or death — need shooting.]
I’m not bothered by the bias. A pro-gun guy or gal can look at Mssrs. Siegel and D’Angelo’s handiwork and admire their works’ form, ingenuity, craftsmanship and wit without worrying one whit about the “debate” over “gun violence.”
As TTAG’s Armed Intelligentsia will attest, guns are cool. These gun-like sculptures are cool. The renown the artists are enjoying is related directly to the positive OK and negative emotions triggered by guns. As we say here in Texas, I could sit still for that.
[Click here for the artists’ website.]