Apsara Warrior

I had about an hour to spare this afternoon, so went to the University of Michigan Art Gallery. I wish I had more time to spend here. I rounded a corner by a stairway and came face to face with this sculpture! Wow! It stopped me in my tracks! It is called "Apsara Warrior" and is by the Cambodian artist Ouk Chim Vichet. It is made from chopped up pieces of AK-47 rifles! An Apsara is a female divinity, going back to the first century in Cambodia's native history. This sculpture came about as part of Cambodia's ongoing disarmament effort, the Peace of Art Project Cambodia, which raises public awareness of of the need for non-violence in society. I do not remember the last time a piece of sculpture affected me so powerfully. I stood there and just looked at it for ten or fifteen minutes. I could spend an hour just examining all of its incredible details. It is stunning!