‘Thoughts and Prayers’ by Stanley Tong: Protesting America’s Indifference Towards Gun Violence
Chinese-American ceramicist Stanley Tong has been creating a series of vases titled Thoughts and Prayers to protest the indifference of US regulatory bodies towards gun violence. To create each piece, Tong first sculpts wet clay into different shapes of vases before proceeding to fire at them with real guns. After being baked in the kiln, the final pieces appear torn by bullet wounds, immortalizing the effects that guns have made on the vase’s 'bodies'.
Being a series of fifteen, each piece gives people an up-close and personal look at not only how bullets can damage malleable clay, but also how it has the potential to wreak similar havoc on the human body. These pieces boldly question why lawmakers have not taken serious action against such a violent crime, which is pervasive in the United States of America. This is why the Thoughts and Prayers series by Stanley Tong is relevant to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals of Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions and Reduced Inequalities.
As of mid-2022, there were no federal laws in the United States that banned civilian ownership of semiautomatic assault weapons, military-style .50 calibre rifles, handguns or large-capacity magazines. There were also no federal requirements for those purchasing a gun to have any firearm safety training. As a result, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that in 2021, 48,830 people died from gun related injuries in the United States.
It comes as no surprise then, that a 2024 Pew Research Center survey found that six in ten American adults favour stricter gun regulations. The survey also found that over 60 percent of Americans think it is now too easy to legally obtain a gun in the country. This is where artworks such as Thoughts and Prayers by Stanley Tong come in, helping to advocate for stricter gun regulations to a broader audience that can pressure influential stakeholders such as legislators and lawmakers to enact policies that benefit their citizenry.
Stanley Tong’s Thoughts and Prayers series stands as a powerful critique of America’s ongoing gun violence crisis and the inertia of its lawmakers. Through clay vases shattered by gunshots, Tong captures the visceral impact of bullets, drawing a parallel to their real and tragic effects on human lives. By immortalizing this destruction in art, he invites viewers to confront this violence and consider the role of policy in perpetuating or alleviating it. His work underscores the urgent need for reform, becoming a call to action that urges people to advocate for meaningful change in the face of a preventable crisis.
Find out more about Thoughts and Prayers and other pieces by Stanley Tong on his website www.stanleytongceramics or Instagram @stanleytongceramics.