3 Pistols Oh? Oh? Oh?

1970

Not on view

Gardner here offers a minimalist response to the brutality that unfolded at Kent State University in 1970 (see 1971.554.1 for his companion print). A dark triad of weapons and repeated shocked questions are placed above and below red and white stripes echoing the American flag—a combination that challenges the viewer to ponder national values and identity. After unarmed students protesting the Vietnam War were killed and wounded on the Ohio campus, student-led strikes erupted across the country, forcing the temporary closure of many colleges. The tragedy is now seen as a turning point that helped shift public opinion against the war.

Artwork Details

Overview

Signatures, Inscriptions, and Markings

Exhibition History

Title: 3 Pistols Oh? Oh? Oh?
Artist: Andrew B. Gardner (American, Chicago, Illinois 1937–1991)
Date: 1970
Medium: Screenprint
Dimensions: Sheet: 40 × 26 in. (101.6 × 66 cm)
Classification: Prints
Credit Line: Gift of the artist, 1971
Object Number: 1971.554.2
Curatorial Department: Drawings and Prints

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