The Revolver with the Knotted Barrel

Non-Violence, also known as The Knotted Gun, is a bronze sculpture by Swedish artist Carl Fredrik Reuterswärd. It depicts an oversized Colt Python.357 Magnum revolver with its barrel tied in a knot, situated at the United Nations headquarters in New York City.

Reuterswärd created the sculpture after the murder of John Lennon, with whom he was acquainted. Inspired by the firearm used in the murder, the artist worked through the night to create the piece. This work followed his previous interest in binding objects, such as his 1977 sculpture Medium’s Memory, which featured knotted pencils.

Although the oversized public version was originally planned for John Lennon’s memorial at Strawberry Fields, it was not placed there due to fears it would be stolen. In 1988, the Luxembourg government bought and donated the sculpture to the United Nations. It was placed outside the headquarters to serve as a symbol against violence and war anywhere in the world.

Since 1993, the sculpture has been the symbol of The Non-Violence Project, a nonprofit promoting violence-prevention education. While the original remains at the UN, over 30 replicas have been produced globally. These include colorful versions created by Ringo Starr, Paul McCartney, and Yoko Ono, as well as small-scale versions made from melted confiscated firearms.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons