Presented by Abrons Arts Center, Bang Bang Gun Amok III is a 24-hour “performance filibuster” dedicated to gun culture in the USA. From 6 pm on Friday, December 6, 2019 to 6 pm on Saturday, December 7, 2019, artists, activists, scholars, and survivors of gun violence will convene at Abrons Arts Center at 466 Grand Street to investigate various vantage points from which to understand and tackle this issue.
Our inaugural performance filibuster at Abrons in 2017 and our second performance filibuster at University Settlement uplifted attendees and got to the core of gun culture’s role in the United States. Two years later, mass shootings are still on the rise. The work to investigate and dismantle gun culture needs to continue. That’s why we’re back and presenting a third filibuster—this time to coincide with the day of the of the seven-year anniversary of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting. It is also the 20th anniversary of the tragedy at Columbine High School. To commemorate this anniversary, Judy Kelly, who was an English teacher at Columbine at that time, will be participating by attending and speaking at the filibuster this year. Like the past two year’s events, this year’s filibuster will center the voices of people of color across generations. Since POC communities are the ones most directly affected by gun culture, they are the ones leading these conversations.
Through music, dance, theater, comedy, mural-making, discussion, bodywork, healing practices, and more, Bang Bang Gun Amok III will work to pinpoint the ways gun culture is embedded in our society. The filibuster will be live-streamed and will include spaces for attendees to rest and refresh as they attempt to deal with the causes and ramifications of gun culture for a full 24 hours.
Initiated by performance artist and activist George Emilio Sanchez (with production support from artist-producer Rad Pereira), Bang Bang creates a space for a community of creators to educate and express how the issue of gun violence is based in a history of institutionalized violence, and how each one of us must play a role in addressing and wiping away this stain from our culture.
Participants include:
David Wheeler
Vernon Reid
Karen Finley
Judy Kelly (Columbine teacher)
It’s Showtime NYC
Edward McWilliams
Save Our Streets
Edisa Weeks
Charmaine Warren
Jonathan Gonzalez
Pamela Sneed
luciana achugar
Maura Donohue
Paz Tanjuaquio
Jennifer Miller
Sydnie Moseley
Ella Wylde
Dax Devlon Ross
Micia Mosely
Jimmie Briggs
Ashley Brockingto
Aaron Landsman
Alex Vitale
Damion Sanders
Samantha Galarza
Sita Frederick
Nate Shaw
Nicole Goodwin
In case you were wondering, here is a list of topics that will be addressed over the course of the 24 hours.
This project’s main challenge is its scope! Organizing so many people and organizations over the course of a single 24-hour event is daunting. But we’re doing it, and we’ve done it before. We’re working to keep lines of communication open with all collaborators, and we’re collaborating closely with Abrons staff to manage all of the logistics of the event.