Galleries WestToo Far, So Close

Making light of troubles is a way to deal with trauma and begin to heal. Perhaps for that reason, the show has much playfulness, including Peace Weapon by Kambiz Sharif.

Born and raised in Iran, Sharif now lives in Vancouver. He made Peace Weapon after watching his nephew play with a foam gun. He was struck by how real guns injure and kill, while toy guns are a source of fun.

His hybrid bronze-and-plastic sculpture features a plastic toy gun that shoots bronze bubbles instead of bullets.

Sharif cleverly balances the weight of the bronze with a support hidden inside the toy that attaches to the plinth.

He is making a much larger version of this work as a public art project in Metro Vancouver.