Installation
Mustering the Madness
Exhibited at Chutespace, M16 Gallery, Canberra, Australia, 2023
Mustering the madness is a response to the ongoing insanity of the relaxed gun laws in the USA. The installation reflects on Australia’s effective weapons round-up, whilst questioning why America cannot do the same.
Modelled on toy guns, with soft colours, glossy surfaces and floral decorations, this gun pile-up serves as a poignant reminder of the many children lost to, and involved in, mass shootings.
Herding the Madness
Exhibited at Gedok Gallery, Munich, Germany, 2022
This wall installation comprises a cluster of child-sized, stoneware and porcelain mini-pistols. Presented en masse, these Pistolinas speak of excess, of the ubiquitous presence of guns – in computer games, in the media, in film, television, in toyshops and of course for some, in reality. Many children enjoy toy guns and shooting games – they play cops and robbers, and now more commonly, computer games featuring violence. The question of whether this early and ongoing exposure to gun violence inspires violent behaviour in real life is a hotly contested topic, however, even when there is not enough evidence to support the connection to violent behaviour, the question remains - why violence?