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A circular xylophone made from weapons' parts, by Mexican sculptor Pedro Reyes, sits in his workshop in Mexico City, Tuesday, Feb. 13, 2013. Reyes has dedicated his last two years transforming weapons, that were either turned in or seized by the army and police in Ciudad Juarez, into musical instruments. The Mexican artist also hopes to take his message international, with an exhibition of the musical instruments in London's Lisson Gallery in March and later in the United States. This project has a pacifist intent, to create a global consciousness about arms trafficking, Reyes said. (AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo)![armas4]()
A worker organizes a set of seized guns in the workshop of Mexican sculptor Pedro Reyes, in Mexico City, Tuesday, Feb. 13, 2013. The guns that have caused so many deaths in northern Mexico are transformed into musical instruments by Reyes. It's important to consider that many lives were taken with these weapons, as if a sort of exorcism was taking place, says Reyes in a description of his project titled, "Disarm." The Mexican artist said he was able to choose his instruments from about 6,700 guns that were turned in or seized by the army and police in Ciudad Juarez, a city of about 1.3 million people that averaged about 10 killings a day at the height of the violence. (AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo)![armas]()
Weapons fill a bin in the studio of Mexican artist Pedro Reyes in Mexico City,Tuesday, Feb. 13, 2013. The guns that have caused so many deaths in northern Mexico are transformed into musical instruments by Reyes. The Mexican artist said he was able to choose his instruments from about 6,700 guns that were turned in or seized by the army and police in Ciudad Juarez, a city of about 1.3 million people that averaged about 10 killings a day at the height of the violence. Reyes already was known for a 2008 project called Palas por Pistolas, or Pistols to Shovels, in which he melted down 1,527 weapons to make the same number of shovels to plant the same number of trees. (AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo)![armas1]()
An instrument designed by Mexican artist Pedro Reyes from weapons' parts, takes form as a piano, in his workshop in Mexico City, Tuesday, Feb. 13, 2013. Reyes has dedicated his last two years transforming weapons, that were either turned in or seized by the army and police in Ciudad Juarez, into musical instruments. The Mexican artist hopes to take his message abroad, with an exhibition of the musical instruments in London's Lisson Gallery in March and later in the United States. This project has a pacifist intent, to create a global consciousness about arms trafficking, Reyes said. (AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo)![armas2]()
A drum-like instrument created by Mexican sculptor Pedro Reyes from parts of seized weapons goes through testing in his workshop in Mexico City, Tuesday, Feb. 13, 2013. In the Mexico City workshop mechanical hammers ping against ammunition magazines from assault rifles and pistol parts strike metal plates, like cymbals, to create rhythmic, syncopated sounds, from guns that have caused so many deaths in northern Mexico. Reyes has dedicated his last two years transforming weapons, that were either turned in or seized by the army and police in Ciudad Juarez, into musical instruments for his project titled "Disarm." (AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo)![armas7]()
An instrument that mimics the sound of a bass guitar created by Mexican sculptor Pedro Reyes from seized guns is seen in his workshop in Mexico City, Tuesday, Feb. 13, 2013. The guns that have caused so many deaths in northern Mexico are transformed into musical instruments by Reyes for a project titled "Disarm." The Mexican artist says, it occurred to him to make musical instruments, because music is the opposite of weapons. Reyes said he was able to choose his instruments from about 6,700 guns that were turned in or seized by the army and police in Ciudad Juarez, a city of about 1.3 million people that averaged about 10 killings a day at the height of the violence. (AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo)![armas3]()
A drum-like set crafted by Mexican artist Pedro Reyes with weapons' parts is tested at his workshop in Mexico City, Tuesday, Feb. 13, 2013. In the Mexico City workshop, where mechanical hammers ping against ammunition magazines from assault rifles and pistol parts strike metal plates, like cymbals, to create rhythmic, syncopated sounds, guns that have caused so many deaths in northern Mexico are being transformed into musical instruments for Reyes' project titled "Disarm." Drug-cartel violence cost more than 70,000 lives in Mexico over the last six years and the weapons trafficking that has been a sore point; many of the weapons used by the cartels are smuggled across the border from the United States. (AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo)![armas5]()
**CORRECTS SPELLING OF BASS GUITAR** Mexican sculptor Pedro Reyes poses behind an instrument that mimics the sound of a basS guitar, made from seized guns, at his workshop in Mexico City, Tuesday, Feb. 13, 2013. The guns that have caused so many deaths in northern Mexico are transformed into musical instruments by Reyes. It's important to consider that many lives were taken with these weapons, as if a sort of exorcism was taking place, says Reyes in a description of his project titled, "Disarm." The Mexican artist said he was able to choose his instruments from about 6,700 guns that were turned in or seized by the army and police in Ciudad Juarez, a city of about 1.3 million people that averaged about 10 killings a day at the height of the violence. (AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo)Mexican Artist Turns Guns Into Musical Instruments
The guns that have caused so many deaths in northern Mexico are now making music
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- Mexican Artist Turns Guns Into Musical Instruments
