Child's Play

by Carl Anderson

Acrylic on Collage

In this painting I have attempted to ask the viewer to contemplate the effect that gun play with toy guns has on the psyche of a child. In today's world gun violence by children seems to be more and more common. This seems to me to be reflective of the political atmosphere of our times. With gun advocacy groups like the NRA gaining more and more influence in our national and local governments and a political majority waging war on all in the world with an ideological difference it seems we are cultivating a culture of violence. Perhaps a method of controlling the masses by letting us kill each other off. The title Child's Play is in reference to the horror film where a seemingly harmless doll becomes a dangerous killer. Do toy guns have the same power over our children as Chucky?