The American arms industry exploits fear and division to normalize guns everywhere making huge profits and at the same time affecting our politics. Not even the creative community here at the Northrup King Building (NKB) is immune. More guns make us less safe.
The NKB, center of the Minneapolis Arts District, now shares space with the executive director of the Minnesota Gun Owners Caucus (GOC). It is a state lobby affiliated with the extremist Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms. The GOC activities included permit-to-carry training, Minnesota Gun Report Podcasts and events that encouraged more people to carry while visiting the NKB.
Due to the continued mainstreaming and proliferation of guns in our society and now the close proximity of a pro-gun advocate that shares the same goals as the NRA with offices in the Northrup King Building, the center of the Minneapolis Arts District, Icebox has decided to exclude itself from all First Thursdays, Art Attack, and other building wide events for the remainder of 2016 and possibly longer, as a protest and a way to bring attention to this matter. The business of Icebox, including its
art openings and artist discussions in the gallery will continue as normal as possible, excluding the events mentioned above where our doors will temporarily close.
Icebox understands that not all artists working in the building who may be disturbed by this turn of events can afford not to be open during these high visibility events. Icebox may indeed be affected financially but not nearly as much as it might be if it was victimized by gun violence.
Our hope is that the Minneapolis Arts District will be preserved and continue to progress and prosper. Artists and art lovers need a welcoming, safe, affordable, and family friendly environment in order to be creative and enjoy themselves.
Guns are weapons. Weapons do not create.
Art, Peace & Love.
Howard M. Christopherson
ICEBOX Quality Framing & Gallery
Established 1988
