The Knotted Gun

Birth of a Peace Icon

In December 1980, Swedish artist Carl Fredrik Reuterswärd was devastated by the murder of his friend John Lennon outside his New York apartment. That night, grief fueled a radical vision: transforming a symbol of violence into one of peace. He sketched an oversized revolver with its barrel knotted like a pretzel, rendering it useless. This bronze sculpture, modeled after a Colt Python .357 Magnum, became Non-Violence, or The Knotted Gun—a direct protest against firearms and war.

Gothenburg's Urban Sentinel

Installed on Kungsportsavenyen, Gothenburg's premier shopping avenue, the sculpture rises prominently at number 36. Its upward-pointing, knotted barrel catches the eye amid pedestrians, trams, and storefronts. Crafted in gleaming bronze, the oversized gun—roughly life-sized in its exaggeration—contrasts sharply with the surrounding modern urban energy. Positioned since the early 1990s, it has become a fixture in this lively district, blending art with everyday city rhythm.

Symbol of the Non-Violence Project

In 1993, the sculpture was adopted as the emblem of the Non-Violence Project Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to violence-prevention education. Over 30 authorized casts now grace global landmarks, from UN Headquarters in New York—donated by Luxembourg in 1988—to sites in Beijing, Berlin, Cape Town, and half a dozen Swedish cities including Malmö and Stockholm. Unofficial variants exist too, all sharing the knotted motif. Kofi Annan once praised it as encapsulating humanity's prayer for peace over victory.

Artistic Legacy and Global Reach

Reuterswärd, a prominent figure in Swedish art with works in museums like Moderna Museet and MoMA New York, infused the piece with uncompromising directness. The knotted barrel points skyward, cocked yet impotent, merging realism with surrealism. Replicas vary in finish—polished bronze, humanium metal from melted illegal guns—but retain the core message. In Gothenburg, it anchors local peace initiatives, echoing Lennon's activism while standing independent as public art.

Enduring Message in Context

On Kungsportsavenyen, the sculpture prompts pause in a flow of shoppers and commuters. Its metallic sheen shifts with Nordic light, from crisp winter sun to soft summer evenings. Free and accessible around the clock, it embodies art's power to provoke thought on disarmament. As conflicts persist worldwide, The Knotted Gun remains a timeless call, its simple curves conveying profound futility of violence.