Carl Frederik Reuterswärd

Carl Fredrik Reuterswärd’s Non-Violence sculpture series is a masterclass in the power of visual metaphor—a revolver with its barrel knotted, rendered instantly impotent, both absurd and profound. Created in the wake of John Lennon’s assassination at the request of Yoko Ono, Reuterswärd’s work transforms a symbol of violence into a universal call for peace, humor, and hope. The artist himself once said, “Humor is the best tool we have to bring people together. When I created my peace symbol, I thought about how important it was to include some humor, just so that my 'weapon' would become symbolically ridiculous and completely useless”6. That knotted gun, standing sentinel outside the United Nations, is more than a monument—it’s a challenge to the world: can we disarm not just our weapons, but our hearts and minds?

What’s remarkable is how Reuterswärd’s Non-Violence has multiplied, now appearing in cities across the globe, from Berlin to Malmö, each version quietly insisting on the same message. The sculpture’s genius lies in its simplicity and accessibility—anyone, anywhere, can grasp its meaning in an instant. It’s art that doesn’t hide behind abstraction or elitism; it’s a visual language of peace, born out of grief but refusing to surrender to despair. In a world that often feels knotted by conflict, Reuterswärd’s work remains a beacon, reminding us that even the most entrenched symbols of violence can be reimagined, reworked, and, ultimately, undone.