A new art show exhibiting guns as art may be arriving soon in the U.S. "Adiós a las armas. Contrabando en las fronteras" ("A Farewell To Arms. Contraband on the Border") uses photos and art work to depict how the illegal trade of weapons has affected Mexico, where more than 47,000 people have died in drug-related violence since late 2006.
The exhibit includes art work from the Filipino artist Eduardo Olbés, images from various photojournalists, and reflections from human rights activist Sergio Aguayo, writer and political analyst Denise Dresser and journalist Magda Cos.
The exhibit is currently on display at the Museo Memoria y Tolerancia (Memory and Tolerance Museum) in Mexico City. It closes on April 15th.
The Washington Office on Latin America plans to bring it to the U.S. capital later this year, according to a culture blog by the L.A. Times.
Samples of the exhibit include one photo of children at the city of Tijuana playing with a rifle, mug shots of real cartel members and one piece is an art work of pistols arranged to spell out the letters "U.S.A."
The Mexican government reports that it has seized 130,000 weapons during a five-year offensive against the drug cartels; 90% were from the United States, according to the U.S. government.
According to a 2009 report by the United States Government Accountability Office (GAO), around 87 percent of firearms seized by Mexican authorities and traced over the past 5 years originated in the U.S., according to data from ATF. Around 68 percent of these firearms were manufactured in the U.S, and around 19 percent were manufactured outside of the country and imported into the U.S. before being trafficked into Mexico.
Here are some photos of the exhibit and other photos of Mexico's drug war:
