The city of Philadelphia has been plagued by gun violence for years, and some believe that the solution lies in stricter gun laws. Portlock, an artist who drew inspiration from Australia’s successful gun control measures, has created a vision of the city that suggests guns will worsen the problem before it improves. In 1996, Australia implemented strict gun laws after a tragic shooting on Tasmania Island resulted in 35 deaths. Since then, these laws have led to a significant reduction in gun-related homicides and suicides, even though a downward trend had already begun prior to 1996.
Natalie Hijinx, a Philadelphia artist and member of the collective Vox Populi, used her love for science fiction and Gene Roddenberry (“Star Trek”) as inspiration for her multimedia sculptural piece “Long Action.” Set in a future where a decentralized artificial intelligence dominates, the AI is devoted to saving mankind. In this future, a super fungus engineered by the AI feeds on gunpowder, rendering firearms useless and helping to eradicate gun violence.
