César López: Guns into Guitars
As the inventor of the escopetarra—a rifle transformed into a guitar—Cesar Lopez breathes life into instruments of death. In response to the violence that has plagued his home in Bogotá, Colombia, López has discovered a way to channel this violence into "art, where creation triumphs over destruction." He has received wide acclaim for this, as well as for his involvement with the Battalion of Immediate Artistic Action—a kind of emergency first-response unit of musicians and activists who take to the streets after guerrilla attack in Bogotá to assist the victims of political violence. Cultures of Resistance is proud to partner with this amazing artist to bring about peace in the heart of Colombia.
CoR Short Film: Turning Guns Into Guitars
Guitarist César López’s home country, Colombia, has been plagued by civil war for the past five decades. Conflicts between the state, left-wing guerrillas, and shadowy ranks of for-hire paramilitaries have resulted in entrenched violence. Inspired to make his art part of the solution, López created the escopetarra, a guitar that is made from an AK-47, the most used rifle in the world. As he says, “If the weapon, which was designed to kill, if its use can be changed, then why can’t humans change too?” This short film highlights López’s efforts to reign in militarism in his country through music and political activism.
César Work
César has made one of his albums, Toda Bala Es Perdida (Every Bullet is Lost), available as a free download. Check out the album website here.
