PHILADELPHIA (April 2, 2024) - The Science Center will host the Futures Without Guns art exhibition from April 18 - June 21, 2024. The opening and closing receptions will be April 18 (5-8pm) and June 13 (5-8pm), respectively, and the artists will be present at the opening reception. Futures Without Guns is supported by a grant from The Pew Center for Arts & Heritage.
This thought-provoking exhibition, curated by Angela McQuillan, will showcase the work of nine multimedia artists and explores the possibilities of a future free from gun violence. The artwork will be on display at Quorum, located at 3675 Market St., and will be free, open to the public, and accessible to all.
Futures Without Guns invites the community to experience this urgent issue from multiple perspectives – and utilizes speculative design and futures thinking principles to envision potential solutions, highlighting the role art can have in advancing social change. For 50 years, the Science Center has explored the intersection of art and science, from the work of World Fellow-in-Residence Buckminster Fuller through the BioArt Residency presented at the Esther Klein Gallery.
“Since 2020, gun violence has been the number one cause of death among children in the US, and disproportionately affects communities of color,” notes McQuillan. “This exhibition allows visitors to experience what a world free from gun violence can look like and feel like, giving visual weight to this hope for the future.” The Science Center strives to power progress that advances life science and healthcare innovation, uplifts communities, and improves lives – and gun violence is an undeniable health equity issue in Philadelphia.
The featured artists, whose work has been shown nationally and internationally and at museums and galleries throughout the Philadelphia region, will be Heather Dewey-Hagborg, Lynn Hershman Leeson, Natalie Hijinx, Jasmine Murrell, Wi-Moto Nyoka, Oluwafemi, Mikael Owunna, Tim Portlock, and Rachael Reyes Vazquez.
ABOUT THE SCIENCE CENTER
The Science Center is Philadelphia’s premier catalyst of entrepreneurial activity, healthcare innovation, and economic growth. Established in 1963, the nonprofit has been recognized by The Brookings Institution as a best-in-class investor, mentor, and economic development partner for young technology companies. Working alongside industry partners and leading research and academic institutions across the globe, the Science Center has supported hundreds of early-stage companies that have a combined $7.8B annual economic impact on Greater Philadelphia. Today, the organization advances healthcare innovation from idea to the marketplace through startup support services and building inclusive STEM pathways for Philadelphia youth and adults. For more information, visit sciencecenter.org or follow us @UCScienceCenter.
