THE FUTURE PASSEDARNE SVENSON

HORRIFIED BY THE INCREASE IN INCIDENTS OF CHILDREN BEING KILLED BY GUNS, I HAVE BEEN COMPELLED TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE WITH A STARK VISUAL RESPONSE. MUCH ATTENTION IS FOCUSED ON THE VICTIMS OF MASS/SCHOOL SHOOTINGS, AND RIGHTLY SO. HOWEVER, AN AVERAGE OF FOUR U.S. CHILDREN A DAY ARE KILLED BY A GUN – AS A 17-YEAR-OLD IN CALIFORNIA IS DYING, CAUGHT IN BARRAGE OF GANG-RELATED GUNFIRE, A 2-YEAR-OLD GIRL IN MISSOURI IS BEING SHOT BY HER FATHER IN A MURDER-SUICIDE AND, SIMULTANEOUSLY, AN 11-YEAR-OLD BOY IN FLORIDA HAS FOUND A LOADED GUN IN THE CLOSET AND FATALLY SHOOTS HIMSELF IN THE FACE.

HOW COULD I PORTRAY THE ANGUISH AND ANGER THESE INCIDENTS ELICIT? I MADE COUNTLESS ATTEMPTS TO CREATE WORK THAT WOULD GRAB VIEWERS AND SHAKE THEM INTO ACTION, BUT EVERYTHING SEEMED ONLY TO ADD TO THE UNHEEDED SCREAMS OF THE TIMES.

SO I DECIDED TO LOWER MY VOICE, TO WHISPER. INSTEAD OF PORTRAYING THE VICTIMS AND THEIR TRAGIC STORIES I SHOW THE HOUSES, PARKS AND STREETS WHERE THE KILLINGS WILL HAPPEN IN THE NEAR FUTURE. GUIDED BY GUN-VIOLENCE DATA I LOCATE EACH INCIDENT ADDRESS AND, VIA INTERNET IMAGERY, “PHOTOGRAPH” THE SCENE, FRAMING THE VIEW AS IF I WAS STANDING AT THE LOCATION. 

-- ARNE SVENSON