“Swords into Plowshares,” on view at Upcast Gallery through May 29, gets its name from the biblical plea for peace. Architect and former gallery owner Chris Humes and graphic designer and educator Noah Scalin created 32 guns shaped out of materials from the earth: clay, soil and wildflower seeds. Each gun in the exhibit is meant to represent a murder that occurred in the city of Richmond in 2004. And as the installation makes the rounds from gallery to community center through the end of the year, it will grow. More soil guns will be added as the homicide toll grows. Then as the guns are purchased and hopefully planted, Humes says, “the concept is that you have a life lost and we’re going to give back to the community a life.” Aside from awareness and catharsis, Scalin says they hope to stimulate more collaboration among the groups involved with violence counseling and education. The exhibit moves to Chop Suey next month, with an opening reception June 11, 6-8 p.m. For information, go to www.plantthepiece.com. — Carrie Nieman
