Gun show by Cynthia Linet

(Click on the images to zoom.)

In the A/NT Gallery at Seattle Center through July 27, there’s an exhibit of art about America’s obsession with guns.    The artist, Cynthia Linet — more famous for her paintings of historic erotica — based her paintings on images found online, via image search.      Obviously, lots of Americans are really into guns. They let little children play with guns. Women wear them between their breasts, while posing in sexy photos. Lovers pose together with guns while embracing.    People hold guns together with bibles.   Jesus holds a gun. Guns and war are glorified by the military to attract recruits. Neo-nazis march with guns.

One problem with gathering images online is that some of the images may be parodies by gun control advocates. But most seem legit.

America’s obsession with guns is one of those weird things that make you scratch your head and wonder how the country can be made sane again.  I wonder what gun lovers would think of the show. Perhaps they’d think it misrepresents who they are.

When I was leaving the exhibit, she handed me a two-sided card. One side had an image from and announcement for the Gun Show exhibit. The other side had an image from and announcement for her Historic Erotica exhibit (which ran in May of this year). I expressed surprise at the erotic nature of the photo. She said, “Well, you know. Make love not war.”

Cynthia Linet has a facebook page about the Gun show here.