Los Angeles area painter and sculptor Victor Hugo Zayas is readying an exhibition of some of his latest works, many of which are comprised of guns collected by the LAPD during various buybacks. “The idea of transformation is something I find very interesting” ,Zayas told coastlinepilot.com. “To take a gun and turn it into something positive.” It appears that the artist’s anti-gun bigotry will be as prominently displayed as his sculptures . . .
Zayas admits that he doesn’t know if any of the heaters welded together in his objets d’art were involved in actual illegal activity. Nonetheless, he refers to the pieces as “portraits of crime.” “I’m most interested in the concept of transforming something so violent and something that can hurt you into something beautiful,” he said.
We know SoCal Armed Intelligentsians will want to see for themselves just how stripped down Lorcins and Ravens can be made into things of beauty. The show will open Sunday and run through April 29 at the Laguna Art Museum.
“The LAPD is proud to be a partner in this ambitious and inspirational project,” says Commander Andrew J. Smith, commanding officer of the LAPD’s Public Information Office. “Removing weapons from the street and transforming them into artwork is another step towards making our communities safer.”
According to the museum’s description of the installation, the sculptures will be donated to the LAPD when the exhibition closes. Exactly how LA’s finest plan to make use of them remains to be seen.
Ah, yes. Something positive. Because as we all know, the thousands of DGUs each year that save the lives of innocents who would otherwise be raped, beaten, robbed and/or murdered are decidedly negative.
On their planet.
In California, as The Gunny would say…
“[We] are all equally worthless”
Only thing keeping me here is my career.
Wait, so if I tell them I am going to make art will the LAPD send me free guns as well? Guns paid for by the taxpayers.
Sounds like a great idea I’ll restore the guns to their former glory, keep a few(hundred) and sell the rest off to benefit a youth program that teaches children about safe gun handling and proper firearms use.
I’d like to see someone remove some of the truly bad metal sculptures I’ve seen pop up in public spaces, smelt them down and make receivers, actions, barrels and complete firearms out of them.
+100
That would truly be “transforming something so violent and something that can hurt you into something beautiful.” I really dislike a lot of the crappy statues I see pop up.
There is a statue of James Brown in my hometown. I really don’t like the guy. And I really don’t like the statue. But I bet it could yield a few dozen really sweet brass barrels.
Excellent idea! Let’s start with that anti-gun “twisted barrel” revolver in NYC, in front of the UN. And while we are at it, let’s dismantle the UN. Did you know that you could eliminate all hunger and poverty in the world if you simply distributed the total salaries of UN bureaucrats to the poor? Come on, people, it’s for the starving children!
Such an original idea, he will be an inspiration to young artists for years to come.
In the spirit of friendly competiton,we on the cause of freedom should find it proper to hire a sculptor to make a paper mache’ of Michaelangelo composed of all the papers of Federal and State gun laws across the nation.The New York City laws deserve special recognition to make ol’ Michaels family jewels.This art sculture can be used to show the next generation that the wayward efforts of the Brady Campaign and various traitorous politicians can be used to positive effect.
A couple of thoughts came to mind:
1. Was any attempt to gather and compare ballistics on these weapons to open cases and possibly make use of the weapon as evidence before it was destroyed?
2. Was any attempt made to identify these as possibly stolen proterty so that they could be returned to their rightful owners? I’d be seriously angry if I learned my grandpa’s stolen rare Winchester rifle was recovered and instead of being returned to him, was sent to this “artist” to be rendered useless as a piece of art.
3. Has a qualified armorer checked that every weapon used in these “sculptures” can not be loaded and fired? Some of the bits I saw didn’t seem to be totally destroyed, but it’s hard to tell from the photo provided.
I can only answer the first question–the usual deal is that these guns are accepted “no questions asked,” meaning they are accepted under an explicit immunity from prosecution. There would be no point in tracing the guns since the evidence could not be used in a criminal prosecution.
“Removing weapons from the street and transforming them into artwork is another step towards making our communities safer.”
Yea..b/c we’ve all seen random pistols running down the street on their own shooting at people…I’d prefer removing violent criminals from the street in order to make our communities safer…but what do I know.
Yeah, but criminals are so much harder to turn into a beautiful sculpture…
Let’s make them river dance. Now that would be punishment.
Many firearms (except Glocks) are already works of art; why does anything need to be done to improve them?
Our modern-day Michelangelo should have said: “I’m most interested in the concept of transforming guns into something that looks like sh!t.”
What the F**k is that thing, anyway? Sperm from a transformer? I don’t get it.
That was my first question as well. I don’t know what it is supposed to “be” or represent either.
Perhaps we can transform most of the excess government buildings, land, and operations into something positive like no tax-sucking public servants around anymore causing mostly problems for non-government citizens.
“I’m most interested in the concept of transforming something so violent and something that can hurt you into something beautiful,”
I wonder when he’s going to start making beautiful things?
Lack of artistic talent, self-righteous narcissism, and a dearth of intelligence or logic. Sounds like a common leftist “artist” to me.
Not sure how an ugly “art” sculpture is something positive, but whatever.
Irony would be if that harmless work of art would fall over in transit and land on the creator, pinning him for a spell.
What a waste…
“The LAPD is proud to be a partner in this ambitious and inspirational project,” says Commander Andrew J. Smith, commanding officer of the LAPD’s Public Information Office. “Removing weapons from the street and transforming them into artwork is another step towards making our communities safer.”
Yes, for the criminals.
I hope all those muzzles are pointing in a safe direction.
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