Dangerous Beauty: Weapons as Art

At once functional, beautiful and deadly, weapons have existed for as long as civilization itself. Though often defined by the violence they can wreak versus their value as works of art, armaments often combine practical elements with artistic practices. Dangerous Beauty: Weapons as Art invites visitors to view these objects through an aesthetic lens and reconsider the very definition of art. Featuring objects from cultures across the world, this exhibition showcases the rich holdings of the Madison Art Collection in the first encyclopedic display of its armaments.