Brave II
Size
Weight
Materials
Tequniques
Date
Collection
Photographer
Most aboriginal cultures, including this country’s own native Americans, have
adorned themselves with jewelry made of various animal parts such as feathers,
fur, leather, claws, bones, or teeth. These served as talismanic charms and, in
the form of the archetypal ‘bear-claw necklace,’ gave a hunter/warrior the spirit
and strength of the animal whose disabled ‘weapons’ he was wearing. Such a
necklace was perceived as a symbol of bravery, strength and respect.
My contemporary necklace is made of one-hundred hand-gun-triggers, cut and
torn from the dismembered weapons reclaimed from the Pittsburgh city gun buy-
back program ‘Goods for Guns.’
This urban ‘mojo’ protects the wearer from the gun violence so prevalent in
today’s culture.
24.50 x 12 x 1.25" inches
2 lbs-5 ox (37 ounces)
100 handgun triggers (steel), silver .925, gold .750,
sapphire, steel cable
fabricated, cuttlebone casting, riveted
September 2006
Museum of Art & Design, NYC
Aaron Usher III, model: ‘Feyi O’
Part of the Permanent Collection of the Museum of Art and Design
|
"DPW" Brooches are ALL different and
one-of-a-kind, based on the availability of the
recycled aluminum traffic sign materials. The final
brooch will be of similar color but may vary slightly
from the photograph.