Tom Umholtz (Las Vegas)
Artist Statement:
Living in an open carry state, I sometimes encounter people who are carrying. When someone is wearing a gun they are sending an unspoken message: I could kill you. As soon as they walk in I have to start evaluating and assessing what the odds are of them using that gun. That was my personal starting point for this project. It must be a hell of a drug to walk around carrying the power of death on your belt. 

Number 30, is a little different than most of the series. It's the only diptych, and one of a few that depicts rifles instead of handguns. Its look reminds me of old propaganda posters. I see a horizon with guns looming from every direction, attacking and defending. I would even retitle it, We Will Kill You. To me it's about an eternal cycle of attacking and defending that eventually dominates and destroys everything. 

Shown here: "Number 30" - spray paint on paper