Solange has been asked to transform and design a decommissioned AK-47 assault rifle for AKA Peace, an exhibition created by the charity Peace One Day and Bran Symondson to raise funds for Peace One Day’s Global Truce 2013 campaign.
Twenty-five leading artists will give this icon of war and destruction a new identity in the name of peace. Other artists involved will be Damian Hirst, Sam Taylor Wood and Douglas Gordon.
The AKA Peace exhibition will be curated by Jake Chapman and take place at the ICA from the 24th of September. The auction of the rifles will take at Phillips de Pury on the 4th of October.
Solange’s AK-47 has been ‘petrified’ and during this process has become a vision of colour and tranquillity. Comprised of bright stone inlay and overlay, the rifle has been re-created and carved into wood brass and directly onto the Malachite, Jaspar, and Lapis Lazuli. It is held together by brass metal components and plated with 24ct yellow gold. The magazine of the gun becomes her beloved Rainbow which is comprised of 7 assorted materials including Amethyst, yellow Jaspar, Lapis lazuli, Malachite and red Jaspar. The bullets firing from it have turned into bullets of rainbow coloured light.
Solange quotes:” I wanted to remove the gun's main function, which is to shoot, and kill and make it out of stone as if the gun had been petrified. The rainbow magazine shoots rainbows rather than bullets. The Rainbow is a universal symbol of peace and tranquillity."
In addition Solange has designed dog tags with mini AK-47’s attached to them. These will dangle off each rifle at the AKA Peace exhibition and have the artists’ name engraved onto it. The dog tags and mini gun will be made of sterling silver and lacquer.
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