Philadelphia artists melt down guns to build a community space
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Philly artists Shane Claiborne, left, and Jacob "Chris" Hammes, holding chopped-up parts of a rifle. Photo: Courtesy of Steve Weinik
Philly blacksmith Shane Claiborne and artist Jacob "Chris" Hammes are forging guns into gardening tools, bullet barrels into benches and closed minds into open hearts.
Why it matters: The duo teamed up on a new art installation they've nicknamed Kensington's "Peace Garden," intentional word play since "piece" is slang for the decommissioned guns that make up the community space.
The big picture: Kensington, long considered an opioid epicenter, has experienced a disproportionate amount of Philly's gun violence.
- Rather than shy away from that harsh reality, Claiborne and Hammes stared down the barrel of loaded guns, holding community buyback events over the last year to gather parts for their project.
- The artists offered "guns for groceries" gift cards.
Driving the news: Murals Arts is unveiling the project during a dedication ceremony Sunday at The Simple Way's community garden.
- Hammes' centerpiece is a fire pit containing chopped-up gun parts, which lights up about every 12 minutes — signifying roughly how often someone is killed by gun violence in the U.S.
- The pit is surrounded by benches composed of melted-down firearms, inscribed with the words: "A better world is possible" (the project's official name).
- Gun parts are also transformed into planter boxers, holding orange marigolds in mulchy beds of gun-stock compost.
Behind the scenes: Inside Claiborne's office are several Home Depot buckets overflowing with gun parts, from barrels of rifles and AK-47s to the pistol grips of Glock handguns.
- Whenever he and Hammes fire up the forge to melt down the guns, they're also melting away pain.
They've invited grieving family members to take part, hammering out their frustrations on the red-hot piece of iron, Claiborne says.
- "This is for my boy," one woman repeated with each strike of a hammer.
What they're saying: "Chopping up a gun and turning it into a garden tool alone doesn't end gun violence, but it can be a tool for opening up hearts," says Hammes.
If you go: 3200 Potter St. The unveiling event runs from noon-2pm.