Arts and Visionaries: The Battle for a Safer Philadelphia – Two Artists, Two Visions

Philadelphia’s future may be bleak if guns remain prevalent, according to a vision by artist Portlock. Drawing inspiration from Australia’s successful implementation of strict gun laws following a tragic shooting on Tasmania in 1996, Portlock’s artwork “Time After the Hunter” depicts a city in ruins but also reborn. The piece reflects the past version of the city, where guns were commonplace, and the new version that emerged after stricter gun laws were put in place.

On the other hand, artist Natalie Hijinx envisions a future where decentralized artificial intelligence (AI) reigns supreme and helps to eradicate gun violence. Her multimedia sculptural piece “Long Action,” inspired by science fiction and Gene Roddenberry’s “Star Trek,” features an AI known as the Essensees that has engineered a super fungus capable of rendering firearms useless. In this futuristic world, guns are no longer a threat to mankind.