Gun Totem
Dublin Core
Title
Gun Totem
Subject (Topic)
Subject (Topic)
Memorial Park--Rhode Island--Providence
Downtown--Neighborhoods--Rhode Island--Providence
Monuments--Rhode Island--Providence
Memorial Park--Rhode Island--Providence
Downtown--Neighborhoods--Rhode Island--Providence
Monuments--Rhode Island--Providence
Subject (Object)
Subject (Object)
Commemorative sculpture
Commemorative sculpture
Description
The Gun Totem is an obelisk made from 1,000 reclaimed firearms that were purchased through the Pittsburgh buy-back firearms program. Set into concrete in a process that the artist identifies as fossilization, bits of the concrete were chipped away to reveal the metal of the handguns. The work was commissioned through the Providence Parks Department’s Convergence International Art Festival.
Creator
Bally, Boris, 1961-
Source
Photographs by Eric Sung, Professor, Providence College
Date
September 2001
Contributor
Providence Parks Department; Dr. Michael P. Hirsch; Guns For Good; Bob Rizzo; Capitol Arts; Assistants Dan Niebels, Lisa Niebels, and Peter Nassoit
Rights
City of Providence, 25 Dorrance Street, Providence, Rhode Island, 02903, United States
Format
JPEG
Language
English
Type
Visual Arts-Sculpture
Coverage
Memorial Park, South Main Street, Providence. Rhode Island, 02903, United States
Medium
1,000 reclaimed and disabled handguns; Cast concrete
Bibliographic Citation
"Tour de Force." Providence Journal, October 13, 2004.
Siclen, Bill Van. "Sculpture Showcase. A Festival of Outdoor Art in Providence, Newport, and Pawtucket. Providence Journal, September 12-15, 2002.
Gray, Channing. "2001 Pullout Guide Convergence. Sculptures Range from Duds to Delightful." Providence Journal, September 13-16, 2001.
"Gun Totem." Atlas Obscura, https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/gun-totem.
"Gun Totem." Public Art Archive, https://publicartarchive.org/art/GUN-TOTEM/39ba7128.
Siclen, Bill Van. "Sculpture Showcase. A Festival of Outdoor Art in Providence, Newport, and Pawtucket. Providence Journal, September 12-15, 2002.
Gray, Channing. "2001 Pullout Guide Convergence. Sculptures Range from Duds to Delightful." Providence Journal, September 13-16, 2001.
"Gun Totem." Atlas Obscura, https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/gun-totem.
"Gun Totem." Public Art Archive, https://publicartarchive.org/art/GUN-TOTEM/39ba7128.
Rights Holder
Department of Art, Culture, Tourism, City of Providence
Geolocation
Citation
Bally, Boris, 1961-, “Gun Totem,” Commemorative Works of Providence, accessed March 31, 2026, https://commemorativeworks.artculturetourism.com/items/show/70.