When officials in Mexico’s Ciudad Juarez publicly destroyed a large cache of confiscated weapons earlier this year, they asked artist Pedro Reyes if he wanted to create something from the pieces. Reyes, who was already known for planting trees with shovels made from melted guns in a 2008 project, agreed, and Imagine was born. Reyes and six musicians spent weeks turning the weapons and some added parts into playable musical instruments, culminating in the video below, produced by Designboom. Reyes has more photos and a manifesto on his blog, calling to end both the ongoing violence in parts of Mexico and the “invisible” industry that supports illegal gun sales and glamorizes violence.
Artist Pedro Reyes turns guns into musical instruments as an anti-violence statement
is a senior tech and policy editor focused on online platforms and free expression. Adi has covered virtual and augmented reality, the history of computing, and more for The Verge since 2011.
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