Canadian Artist’s Latest Exhibit Blasts America’s Lack of Gun Control

President Donald Trump has remarked about the United States annexing Canada. I’m not sure if it’s a joke or a serious proposal–with Trump, it could go either way, really–and for me, it’s been a source of endless amusement, but not something I’d seriously like to see happen. I’m not a fan of annexing territory without the consent of the people who live there, for one thing.

For another, Canadians are way too fond of gun control for me to want them voting in American elections.

In fact, a recent story came across my screen about an artist up that way who has an exhibit called “Studies in Futility” all about how Americans won’t pass gun control.

A new exhibit at the Ottawa School of Art is putting failed efforts to enforce gun control on blast.

Sayward Johnson’s Studies in Futility uses intricate textile work to condemn gun violence in America and explore what she describes as “futile” efforts to enact change. The exhibit is on display until March 9.

During her artist talk at the exhibit on Feb. 6, Johnson said she was inspired by the American government’s failed efforts to enact stricter gun laws, despite the ongoing cycle of school shootings and gun-related tragedies each year.

Since the Columbine High School shooting in 1999, there have been 428 school shootings in the United States, with 84 occurring in 2024 alone, according to gun control advocacy group Brady United.

“Every time these efforts fail, you feel like nothing’s ever going to change, nothing’s ever going to get better and it’s so frustrating,” Johnson said.

Originally from Danvers, Mass., and a self-proclaimed “knitting addict,” Johnson studied art at the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design before moving to Chelsea, Que., where she now lives with her husband and daughter.

Johnson said her latest piece represents the American government’s protection of gun ownership instead of innocent lives.

This is kind of a tired talking point. The idea that anyone is protecting gun ownership over people’s lives is a false dichotomy. It’s predicated on the belief that we actually think gun control would, in fact, save lives and still won’t pass it, which isn’t the case at all.

For one thing, we know that the problem is with the people, not the weapons. When people argue that Europe has gun control and lower so-called gun crime, they often don’t realize that we have higher non-gun homicide rates than they have total. If you take the guns away entirely, we’d still have a high murder rate and probably high rates of all other violent crime.

And you’re never going to take all the guns away. Those European rates include murders committed with guns. It’s not an apples to apples comparison, and that’s kind of the point.

Johnson clearly has an axe to grind, and coming from Massachusetts originally, she probably figures that gun control is only natural.

But the truth of the matter is that she relocated to Canada, a nation that tried to punish a comedian over a joke. The comedian did, ultimately, prevail, but it shouldn’t have been a concern in the first place. Our rights are protected, and that includes our gun rights. Our gun rights ultimately protect our right to tell jokes, no matter how distasteful. How is it that she left her native land for one where rights are almost meaningless, and has the gall to try and lecture us on what we should do through her rather inane art?

She has the right to say what she wants, but I’m going to exercise my right to free speech and the free press to tell her to get bent.