Andy Warhol (1928-1987)

"The Guns and Knives paintings from 1981-1982 are stark reminders of the violent society we lived in then and now. Having nearly been killed by a handgun Andy was able to make paintings of guns as iconic objects. In order to choose which guns he would use we made calls to friends who might know someone with a gun. A few scary people, with first names only, came by and let Andy take Polaroid's of their weapons."
- V. Fremont, Cast a Cold Eye: The Late Work of Andy Warhol, New York, 2006, p. 157.