Futures Without Guns

University City Science Center

2022
$300,000

univ-city-science-center-2022-01-web.jpg

Pedro Reyes, Disarm Music Box (Karabiner/Matter), 2020, installation view Museum Tinguely. Photo by Daniel Spehr, courtesy of the artist © 2020 Museum Tinguely, Basel.

univ-city-science-center-2022-02-web.jpg

Mikael Owunna, Infinite Essence: Uche, 2019. Image courtesy of the artist.

univ-city-science-center-2022-05-web.jpg

Pew Fellow Tim Portlock, sculpture garden, 2020; archival pigment print, 58″ x 43.25″. Photo courtesy of the artist.

In a yearlong residency, eight artists create new artworks and design propositions envisioning the possibilities for a future free from gun violence. With a focus on Philadelphia, the project invites community members affected by gun violence to share their experiences and, in several instances, inform the artists’ processes. The resulting group exhibition draws on futures thinking and speculative design methods to consider multiple perspectives on and potential solutions to this complex issue and to amplify the role of art in advancing societal change. To expand understanding of the subject matter, representatives from community organizations lead public events discussing gun violence and gun control in Philadelphia and their effects on communities.

The total grant amount represents project funding plus an additional 20% in unrestricted general operating support.