Student’s gun art banned from campus at University of Houston

Campus carry may have passed in Texas, but guns are still off limits at Texas universities — even when used as unloaded expressions of art. The University of Houston censored a student’s art project, a revolver with a cartoon banner reading the word “ART,” according to Houston Press. 

The art, created by student Alton DuLaney, was meant to be neutral. The display at Blaffer Museum contained a two paragraph explanation about Texas law banning guns on campus until August. Houston Press did note that there was another display of nunchucks and prison shanks, which were allowed.

While his artwork was censored, “it proved my point about how controversial this object was,” DuLaney noted.

“That cartoonish element reminded DuLaney of how guns are so omnipresent in Texas culture that, even for kids in this state, toy guns are part of growing up. He was wondering: If he transformed the gun to look this way, would it still have as much power? After UH’s decision, the answer was, well, apparently yes,” Houston Press wrote.

DuLaney also spoke with ABC13 about whether his art project was art or a weapon: