Brazilian artist Laerte Ramos may not hail from Arizona, but his work addresses one of the states major issues: the fact that our gun control laws are as loose as a college co-ed following a Saturday night beer binge. Ramos crafts shiny black ceramic guns based on toy manufacturers specs, and gathers them together in collections that rival a military weapons depot.
An Arizonan would have to be dead in some way not to bring a view, opinion, or cultural influences to an exhibition of guns (albeit ceramic replicas of toy guns), says local art collector Ted Decker. Deckers phICA art collective is co-sponsoring the exhibit Arma Branca: Laerte Ramos and Source Code. Along with Ramos pistol display, the show includes video game inspired pieces by Paolo Pedercini, Jason Rohrer, Carlo Zanni and Jon Haddock, the latter of whom is well-known for his cheeky vintage mouse porn.
Fri., March 18, 6-9 p.m., 2011