One year ago, Congress defunded public media. Now that we're 100% community funded, please become a sustaining member or increase your existing membership today.
This archival content was originally written for and published on KPCC.org. Keep in mind that links and images may no longer work — and references may be outdated.
Gun sculptures on display at LAPD
Victor Hugo Zayas melted down guns from the City's annual gun buyback program for his sculptures located in the lobby LAPD's headquarters.
(
Andres Aguila/KPCC
)
Photos of the gun buyback program line the walls of the lobby in the LAPD Headquarters.
(
Andres Aguila/KPCC
)
Zayas hopes that his sculptures will exhibit peace and beauty from objects once associated with violence and crime.
(
Andres Aguila/KPCC
)
Zayas' sculptures will be on display until mid-July.
(
Andres Aguila/KPCC
)
Zayas created the sculptures from more than two tons of destroyed guns received through the City’s Gun Buyback Program.
(
Andres Aguila/KPCC
)
Sculptures crafted from two-tons of destroyed guns will be on display at a reception Thursday at LAPD. It may not be your typical exhibition space, but it fits for artist Victor Hugo Zayas.
He spent five years working with police to get his hands on pieces of rifles and shotguns collected from the department’s Gun Buyback Program.
“I never thought I would ever work together with the LAPD, but this was sort of an accident, but in a way sort of a neat accident because they came from the LAPD," he said. "They break them down, give to them to me and I think it would be appropriate to bring them back to them in a different form.”
Zayas said he built 17 sculptures and one is dedicated to a friend who was killed in gun violence.
“It’s quite a powerful image because I’ve taken something so negative and transformed it into a sculpture," he said. "So if people go away with the idea of you can take anything negative and transform it into something positive, it would be pretty amazing.”
The sculptures will be in the lobby of LAPD’s downtown administration building for at least a month. Zayas said he’s not sure where they’ll go next since he’s gotten calls from people around the world interested in showing his work.
Thursday's reception starts at 5:30 p.m. during L.A.'s Downtown Art Walk. Zayas will be around to answer questions about his work. He'll also display photos of what the guns looked like before they were melted down to be used in his sculptures.
One year ago, Congress voted to defund public media, eliminating a critical $1.7 million from our budget every year going forward. But they couldn’t silence us, and we’re not going anywhere. LAist is now 100% community funded and that means we’re taking our future into our own hands and turning to you to keep local reporting strong.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
