The mix between art and weaponry has always been tight. Different artists address different subjects with all kinds of approaches. Some of them go deeper into details, others are more subtle.
But then, there are artists out there who put the actual art first, rather than the focus on weaponry, even if their art actually includes guns and other firearms.
With these ideas in mind, here are a few artists who push things to another level.
Graceland
Graceland’s work has always been interpreted in all kinds of ways. One particular piece of work stands out in the crowd, though. There’s a tiny teddy bear with a rifle, as well as a naked lady, religious elements, and what’s referred to as the Sin City. Simply put, this is all about the human condition.
Most of Graceland’s work takes you to dystopian worlds, as well as societies torn apart by war . A subtle dose of humor adds to the art, making it unique in interpretation.
Roy Lichtenstein
Roy Lichtenstein adopts a different approach when it comes to war art, bringing together elements of magazines and cartoons that everyone’s familiar with. Crak! stands out as a dominant piece of art. Enhanced with text balloons and dots like old school comics, it redefines imagery from World War II.
The artist’s work isn’t all about American heroism, but it also represents a funny approach to the pop age, with war realism somewhere in the background.
Banksy
The anonymous Banksy is one of the most popular artists of today’s society, creating simple, but powerful art that pushes against war and violence. Always choosing a deep subject, the artist adds a unique style and a cheeky wit to his work.
Heavy Weaponry is one of the most significant pieces in terms of war art. Not only is it critical for a warring society, but it also has a bit of humor to put a smile on your face.
The fact that Banksy is anonymous gives him or her the opportunity to express without worrying about the consequences.
Nick Veasey
Nick Veasey is famous for his X-ray art, similar to what you’d get in a hospital. Much of his work involving weaponry includes X ray images of concealed weapons. The artist’s work may seem simple, but he has managed to create an expressive narrative with just a couple of objects and a short story.
Some of his top rated pieces of work include Dagger in My Dior and Chanel Packing Heat, yet his cinematic expressions go further than that.
All the work is based on real guns, the type of guns you could even purchase yourself over the Gunsnprices.com guns search engine.
James Georgopoulos
With lots of art inspired from the motion picture field, James Georgopoulos has taken his multimedia art to a different level. The artist explores ideas behind cinematography, meaning he creates beautiful replicas of firearms used in movies.
Take Allied Invasion, for instance, which describes the pistol used by Captain Tanida. It may seem simple, but it’s the type of art that tells a story.
Schoony
Schoony’s realistic work has a bit of history since he’s an expert in special effects and has worked on the sets of numerous movies. Clash of the Titans and Saving Private Ryan are just a few of them. Most of his art features superior 3D effects, hence his immense popularity.
Boy Soldier came out in 2011 and represents one of his best pieces of art. A child, a grenade, a soldier’s helmet, there are all kinds of elements that give this piece a heavy profile and a deep meaning.
Bran Symondson
Bran Symondson does have a solid background in terms of weaponry. After all, he was part of the UK Special Forces and documented the horrors of war on multiple fronts. Soon after finishing his stage in Afghanistan, he decided to become a full time photographer, working for a local newspaper.
Things went to another level in 2012, when he hosted the AKA Peace exhibition, bringing together artists from all over the world against war. Most of his work is based on love, rather than violence. The exhibition had a massive success, with celebrities from all over the world buying his art.
Bottom line, while art and weaponry do go hand in hand, the truth is art doesn’t have to be a violence. It can be a deep and peaceful element to promote love and peace as well and that’s what the above mentioned artists have managed to do.
