The original sculpture of The Knotted Gun also known as “Non-Violence” was created by Swedish artist Carl Fredrik Reuterswärd, a friend of John Lennon’s family. Reuterswärd created this piece of art after Lennon’s tragic death to honour the singer’s vision of a peaceful world.
The oversized public version of the piece was planned for John Lennon’s memorial Strawberry Fields in Central Park but when the memorial was opened in 1985 Reuterswärd opted not to have it placed there, citing fears it would be stolen. In 1988, the Luxembourg government bought and donated it to the United Nations and was moved right outside of the headquarters of the UN. Here it was interpreted not only a memorial for John Lennon, but as a symbol against violence and war anywhere in the world.
