“The Big Bang” developed as a visual exploration of the impact of projectiles fired into bullet-proof plexiglas. The fragmented bullets, trajectory lines and other markings captured within the panels of hard plastic gave rise to images that hint at the creation of new galaxies and stars in the nether reaches of the universe. Although I did not intend to make an overt statement about gun violence, the work clearly depicts the immense amount of energy released by the bullets on impact, requiring little imagination to realize their effect on muscle and bone. My interest in the project also relates to the pervasiveness of guns as cultural symbols and their enduring role as part of the nation’s heritage. There are an estimated 300 million firearms in the United States — accounting for 46 percent of the world’s guns, with 4.4 percent of the world’s population. Law enforcement professionals at the Public Safety Institute at Houston Community College fired the shots into the plexiglas used in this series. The photographic images were made in the studio – well after the gunshots were fired.