"DID YOU KNOW...?" NEWSLETTER
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Please join us from 5:00pm-7:00pm June 13th for a Special Event!
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Alameda County District Attorney Nancy E. O’Malley, in partnership with The Robby Poblete Foundation is
proud to announce
a groundbreaking new project entitled “The Art of Peace, Alameda County."
This collaborative effort engages local artists, selected after a competitive submission process, who have created three dimensional art pieces out of the remains of dismantled firearms.
“Gun violence plagues our communities. The Art of Peace focuses a spotlight on our ongoing efforts to end this crisis,” says DA O’Malley. “Over the past 30 years, the DA’s Office has amassed over one thousand firearms that were collected as evidence in criminal prosecutions. This project has re-imagined these instruments of violence into objects of beauty and grace.”
FOR ALL INFORMATION REGARDING "ART OF PEACE" PLEASE VISIT:
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The Art Of Peace is located at 471b 9th St. Oakland, CA 94607
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"Holding On" - Rebecca Anders
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Artist statement:
Holding On depicts two clasped human hands, one of whose wrists turns into roots which support the sculpture, while the other wrist sprouts budding tree limbs. The arrangement is vertical, as if one hand is helping the other up. The overall shape has a spiraling twist, to invoke the movement of human action as well as botanical growth. The intent is to suggest that through contacting and assisting one another, we can achieve growth and stability. I stack and nest the gun parts closely, welding them together to make the design clear while preserving the identifiability of the parts. I cut and forge the pieces where necessary to achieve the curves of human and tree anatomy, and finish the work with a warm-color patina and a clear satin sealer. The overall sculpture is self-supporting and ca. 24” high with a maximum diameter of 14”.
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"Seeds of Hope" - Brian Enright
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Artist statement:
Guns are tools of violence; their purpose for existing is to take life.
Seeds of Hope
utilizes creative fire to transform these artifacts into a symbol of growth, hope and peace. There is no more peaceful image than that of a flower, poised in the wind and prepared to seed new life. As the national problem of gun violence grows, so do small and powerful acts of resistance. Every youth who walks out in protest and every vote cast for gun control is another step towards respect for the dignity of all life. I am honored to be a part of this movement and the incredible opportunity that Art of Peace is to raise awareness and inspire change through art.
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"Flame of Reason" - Darrell Hunger
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Artist statment:
Emotions on gun restrictions have polarized Americans.
The "Flame of Reason" is meant to inspire a clear dialog based on common sense and hope.
The primary use of wood, a material from a living organism, will adds warmth to the sculpture. The lower portion of the sculpture is the heavier metal portion of the sculpture where a tipsy base is being supported. The upper portion of the sculpture is straight, in balance and capped with the flame made from brass casings. The flame can be interpreted may ways. A guiding light, flame of hope or remembrance of those lost to gun violence.
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"Wave of Gun Violence" - Darrell Hunger
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Artist statement:
The "Wave of Gun Violence" is a "to the point piece" of sculpture.
It is emotionally charged and symbolically expresses the overwhelming violence perpetuated
by the use of firearms. The image of a wave came to me as a pulse of energy that creates chaos. Ironically the wave is a beautiful form and also can symbolized change. Hopefully this sculpture will be used to seen as both messages.
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"Gunnosaurus" - John Cole Rogers
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Artist statement:
"I have worked with firearms and themes of the military for several decades now. I grew up with the military always a breath away, and the contemplation of this world greatly influence my art, much of which critiques uses and abuses of power. The Critters are an ongoing series (2016-present) which use decommissioned pistols as the body of a small predatory creature, with forged copper wings reminiscent of Gothic armor and legs, snout, and antenna of forged steel. These pieces defy us to deny the lethality and fetishism of the firearm, with the historical reference of armor challenging us to see guns as part of the continuum of insanity which has inflicted us since the beginning of time. Unlike the Critters, sleek and seductive, I created a creature which is ponderous, struggling under its own weight of lethal steel, just as we are drowning in gun violence. This creature would be an amalgam of many guns, like a black hole drawing them in. The “Gunnosaurus” is fairly small but dense. An apt metaphor for such a small object who’s use can ripple out in such horrible ways…"
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"300 Shots Fired - Art of Peace Cruiser
-Natasha McCray-Zolp and Shameel Ali
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Artist statement:
We imagine the bike as a symbol of moving forward and nostalgic ties to simple childhood. This cruising rendition of a bicycle has been constructed primarily out of dismantled gun parts and shell casings. The main frame was constructed by grinding and welding rifle barrels. The wood featured in the structure and fenders were formed by the cutting, sanding, hand carving and staining of 5 separate rifle stocks. A variety of at least 18 dismantled handguns were used for the fender braces, pedals, handlebars and bumpers and the wheel inserts feature carved images of an Oakland-styled tree and roots in place of spokes. Finally, 300 or so shell casings can be found throughout, many contained within the hand poured resin seat.
We integrated messages of peace, love, tolerance, community and unity throughout the bike. Throughout the process, we reflected on what an honor it was to have been given the opportunity to utilize materials that have actually ruined lives, and transform them into a sculpture that pays respect and homage to all of the families whose lives have been impacted by gun violence.
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"Trouble Helix" - Kevin Byall
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Artist statement:
Is killing in our DNA? Is violence part of our genetic code? The Double Helix is a familiar image. It is considered one of the most famous scientific images of modern time after first appearing on a cocktail napkin in the Eagles pub in Cambridge in February 1953. Today it is re-envisioned as the Trouble Helix. Made out of 6 different repurposed gun parts, it is designed to convey how engrained we are to violence and the difficult reprogramming we face to change that construct. I aim to use 4 distinct gun parts to depict the base pairs of adenine (A), thymine (T), guanine (G) and cytosine (C). The ladder rungs will be made up of two distinct alternating gun parts as a tribute to the alternating sugar and phosphate molecules. The DNA starts and ends up broken. This is designed to show not only how we understand our genes and our ability to modify them but an understanding of how we can change our views. In another nod to the human form, the bottom of the broken ladder forms the legs, the connected DNA represents the body, and the top broken structure depicts arms of hope reaching upward.
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DA O'Malley with Andrew Johnstone
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In October 2011, Andrew was honored by winning the Alameda County 2011 Arts Leadership Award and was subsequently appointed by the Supervisors to an eight-year term as a Chairperson of the Alameda County Arts Commission representing District 4. He also holds a position on the Board of the Alameda County Arts Education Committee.
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HEAT Watch: HEAT Watch is the anti-human trafficking program run by the DA's Office. It coordinates the response to help fight trafficking in the Bay Area and beyond.
DA Speakers Bureau: We provide speakers for your next school or community meeting who come to you with decades of expertise about the law, the criminal justice system and how we at the DA's Office can help you if you have been the victim of a crime.
Point of View: The well-known legal educational tool written and published by the DA's Office.
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