Guns In The Hands of Artists

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.

In collaboration with Washington University's Office of the Provost, and as part of the University's year-long initiative Gun Violence: A Public Health Crisis, the Sam Fox School hopes to engage partners and collaborators in taking a hard look at the serious, tragic public health consequences of gun violence in America. Through additional programming, including a September 17 panel discussion, individuals and communities will have unique opportunities to engage in the conversation about guns in our society, using art as the catalyst for dialogue.