Technology

Art: See What Bullet-Proof Glass Looks Like After Being Shot by Texas Law Enforcement

Posted on April 16, 2012 at 7:00pm by Liz Klimas
Print »
Email »

The Big Bang: Artist Has Law Enforcement Shoot Bullet Proof Plexiglas for Abstract Photographs

.357 Hollow Point (Photo: Deborah Bay)

Photographer Deborah Bay was once inspired by a sales display advertising the strength of bullet-proof Plexiglas. What she saw of the fragments stuck in the glass was “a visual record of the energy released on impact,” but she felt something more — a “psychological tension.”

With the help of law enforcement professionals from the Public Safety Institute at Houston Community College, Bay captured abstract “macro photographs,” as described by Peta Pixel, for her project “The Big Bang”.

9 mm Glock Ball (Photo: Deborah Bay)

1-oz Shotgun Slug (Photo: Deborah Bay)

Bay explains more about the project in a statement on her website:

From Dirty Harry to Andy Warhol, guns continue to fascinate. From Guns N’ Roses to guns and butter, they‘re potent metaphors in today’s pop culture. And what’s a gun without a bullet? Taking a cue from the cultural zeitgeist, I began thinking about “The Big Bang” after seeing a sales display of bullet-proof plexiglas that had projectiles embedded in it. The plexiglas captured the fragmentation of the bullets and provided a visual record of the energy released on impact. As I began to explore this concept further, I also was intrigued by the psychological tension created between the jewel-like beauty and the inherent destructiveness of the fragmented projectiles. Many of the images resemble exploding galaxies, and visions of intergalactic bling sublimate the horror of bullets meeting muscle and bone. In fact, Susan Sontag described the camera as “a sublimation of the gun” — load, aim and shoot. My interest in the project grew out of the pervasiveness of guns as cultural symbols and America’s long-held affection for guns as part of the country’s heritage. This seems particularly relevant in Texas where it’s estimated that there are 51 million firearms — two guns for every man, woman and child in the state. Professionals in law enforcement at the Public Safety Institute at Houston Community College fired the shots into the plexiglas used in the series. The photographic images were made in the studio — well after the gunshots were fired.

.45 Hollow Point (Photo: Deborah Bay)

.22 Long Rifle (Photo: Deborah Bay)

.44 Magnum (Photo: Deborah Bay)

See more of Bay’s photographs part of The Big Bang here.

[H/T Gizmodo]

Back to The Blaze »

Comments (41)

RugDog
Posted on April 17, 2012 at 9:02am
Legolas could shoot an arrow through that.
Report Post » Log in to Reply Reply
cemerius
Posted on April 17, 2012 at 8:27am
ahhh no picture of my favorite round? Mr .308? Whats’ that? You’d have to call it warm butter instead of bullet resistant plexiglass? :)
Report Post » Log in to ReplyReply
- DeavonReye
  Posted on April 17, 2012 at 9:12am
  I suppose they figure that a hole wouldn’t be that artistic. :-)
  Report Post »
- So Cal Tea
  Posted on April 17, 2012 at 3:19pm
  I’m in this industry and I can tell you…..we have glass that your .308 will not penetrate.
  Report Post »
grimmy
Posted on April 17, 2012 at 7:37am
So many guns and ammo experts on here, yet you know no more than the person that wrote the article. “Having holes drilled down the tip”, really.If your refering to hollow points,you might google how they are made,you dont “drill” holes to make hollow points…..sheesh………

Drago.
Report Post » Log in to Reply Reply
THXll38
Posted on April 16, 2012 at 11:09pm
Now on the Blaze! A bunch of self proclaimed photographers and artists. Next . . . self proclaimed ballistic experts.
Report Post » Log in to Reply Reply
ContinentalArmy
Posted on April 16, 2012 at 10:56pm
Wrong Weapon and Wrong Ammo!!! Try Again!!
Report Post » Log in to ReplyReply
- Ded-Bred
  Posted on April 17, 2012 at 4:37am
  OK, .40cal. Teflon-tipped? Or .50cal. belt fed auto.? Or my personal favorite: SAS &/or RPG, “for the deer hunter that’s not hungry”
  Report Post »
KingCanon
Posted on April 16, 2012 at 9:26pm
So that’s where those outer space galaxy images come from!
Report Post » Log in to ReplyReply
- The-Monk
  Posted on April 16, 2012 at 10:04pm
  That’s funny, thanks. : )
  Report Post »
- lukerw
  Posted on April 17, 2012 at 7:13am
  Beauty… out of Destructive Forces!
  Report Post »
glieb4
Posted on April 16, 2012 at 8:23pm
The Art is in the lighting clear stuff is hard to photograph. Try taking a picture of a broken windschield, or wine glass.
Report Post » Log in to ReplyReply
- macpappy
  Posted on April 16, 2012 at 8:43pm
  No art needed just a good eye. With Photoshop and a few good plugins you take all photography science out of the equation. Don’t confuse art with aptitude with software.
  But then again a person that can use Photoshop well, will call themselves an artist. Does not make them right tho.
  Report Post »
- WeekendAtBernankes
  Posted on April 17, 2012 at 8:19pm
  If a guy who paints stripes is an artist, a guy who uses fotoshop is an artist.
  Report Post »
chips1
Posted on April 16, 2012 at 8:05pm
The 5th picture looks like Sharpton’s eye when he got stabbed.
Report Post » Log in to ReplyReply
- Stoic one
  Posted on April 17, 2012 at 12:10am
  Is that a future memory?
  Report Post »
- SGT Rock
  Posted on April 17, 2012 at 12:36pm
  Careful, Tom Cruise will bust in your window and get you for a thought crime!
  Report Post »
macpappy
Posted on April 16, 2012 at 7:57pm
Maybe if you did not know what is was and had to figure it out, you could call it art.
That is a physical reaction to a physical action. No art involved, maybe an interesting conversation piece, but not art.
I’ll bet if investigated, this was done on a government grant.
Report Post » Log in to ReplyReply
- Smokey_Bojangles
  Posted on April 16, 2012 at 8:11pm
  If she got a $5000 grant from the National Endowment of The Arts,Rolled the pictures up and inserted them in to a greased up man’s behind,that would be called art.
  Report Post »
- glieb4
  Posted on April 16, 2012 at 8:20pm
  The art is in the lighting it is very hard to take a picture of clear stuff. Try to take a picture of a broken windshield, or wine glass.
  Report Post »
- Mr. H.
  Posted on April 16, 2012 at 8:21pm
  Lots of photographs from science and technology are considered art.
  Report Post »
Jupitor
Posted on April 16, 2012 at 7:40pm
What is “9 mm Glock Ball”? I’ve never heard of such a thing. I think the word “Glock” is not used correctly here. It was likely “9mm Ball Ammo” shot from a Glock.
Report Post » Log in to ReplyReply
- MDKing
  Posted on April 16, 2012 at 7:53pm
  you have to forgive the reporter, she is in the mainstream media where if it goes bang it is Bad, any pistol is a glock, any rifle is an assault rifle, and any shotgun is sawed off, all guns are illegal, and anyone that carries one, except the police is a gang banger. It is just in their blood.
  Report Post »
- banjarmon
  Posted on April 16, 2012 at 8:49pm
  @MDKing
  Amendment 2 – Right to Bear Arms. A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be INFRINGED. This is MY Right OWN AND to CARRIE PERIOD!!!!
  Report Post »
- Mr. H.
  Posted on April 16, 2012 at 8:55pm
  Journalists are seldom marksmen and thus know nothing of which they write. Now to “9 mm Glock Ball”:
  Police departments, for the most part, use one make & model pistol. Glock and Sig Sauer are very popular choices. As for ammunition, it started as plain lead balls in muskets. After rifles were invented, the bullets started changing shape, getting longer, being coated with very thin layers of copper (jackets), having special tips added, having holes drilled down the tip and flutes down the sides (hollow points), and other stuff. So now ammo with a plain solid bullet is called ball ammunition. 9 mm is just the cartridge diameter, the most popular civilian version is 9×19.
  Report Post »
Mark0331
Posted on April 16, 2012 at 7:38pm
Hopefully clean, well oiled, fully loaded and close at hand…;-)
Report Post » Log in to Reply Reply
tmplarnite
Posted on April 16, 2012 at 7:25pm
Did they use Armor piercing bullets??????????
Report Post » Log in to ReplyReply
- RepubliCorp
  Posted on April 16, 2012 at 9:32pm
  I had some 2″ bulletproof glass. It stopped the handgun ammo (357 mag 158gr FMJ,. 44 mag 270gr hardcast,. 45acp 230gr ball) and 12ga 1oz slugs. But my AK47 went through it like butter with FMJ bullets, lead cores So if someone has a rifle…duck
  Report Post »
- tmplarnite
  Posted on April 16, 2012 at 11:00pm
  That’s what I thought….I’ve got some British and Israelie green…I figured, both, would slice right threw it….easy!
  Report Post »
Mark0331
Posted on April 16, 2012 at 7:21pm
“..visions of intergalactic bling sublimates the horror of bullets meetingmuscle and bone…” I laughed out loud at the HS drivel this ‘artists’ uses in her text…two guns are perfectly fine for every person to have in this country, a backup is always a good plan in any situation. Backup quarterback, backup starting pitcher, backup singers…;-)
Report Post » Log in to Reply Reply
ImMadAsHell
Posted on April 16, 2012 at 7:20pm
ok so what
Report Post » Log in to ReplyReply
- macpappy
  Posted on April 16, 2012 at 7:59pm
  I’ve seen better art on my windshield during lovebug season.
  Report Post »
- spirited
  Posted on April 16, 2012 at 8:00pm
  Oh come on….it’s very cool photography.
  Report Post »
- macpappy
  Posted on April 16, 2012 at 8:26pm
  Spirited
  I’ll give you that, a very nice camera was used.
  Report Post »
applehill
Posted on April 16, 2012 at 7:18pm
I’ve always wondered if a bullet hit the same spot several times in a row, would the bullets eventually make it through?
Report Post » Log in to ReplyReply
- mg42sa
  Posted on April 16, 2012 at 7:37pm
  Yes they would eventually. Some of these rounds split the plexi on the opposite side of impact sot hey werent too far from penetrating. Unless your using a caliber that is capable of defeating the glass thats the only way to do it. And it would take a high rate of fire and good aim.
  Report Post »
- JP4JOY
  Posted on April 16, 2012 at 7:47pm
  Yes, thus the large holes in the windows of those assassinated in the Latin American countries where you see photos of SUV’s and Mercedes shot to he!!.
  Report Post »
Darmok and Jalad at Tanagra
Posted on April 16, 2012 at 7:16pm
I heard the artist will be inspired by the OWS crowd to photograph feces thrown onto cop cars. Although that one might open to crappy reviews. OK, that idea just really stinks.
Report Post » Log in to ReplyReply
- MAMMY_NUNN
  Posted on April 16, 2012 at 7:30pm
  Maybe she could mount some camera’s on police riot shields and capture the splatters.
  Report Post »
- bikerr
  Posted on April 16, 2012 at 8:38pm
  Instead of SHTF—SHTCC !
  Report Post »
right-wing-waco
Posted on April 16, 2012 at 7:15pm
Pretty nice. It does make for some pretty neat art.
Report Post » Log in to Reply Reply

It appears that you have Javascript Disabled. Please enable Javascript in your browser preferences for a better user experience on TheBlaze. You can not comment without Javascript enabled.