Non-Violence - Carl Fredrik Reuterswärd

The sculpture of the oversized Colt Python revolver, with its barrel twisted into a tight knot, stands as a visceral response to a moment of personal grief. Swedish artist Carl Fredrik Reuterswärd created the piece in 1980 immediately after learning that his friend, the musician John Lennon, had been murdered. Driven by frustration and sorrow, the artist spent the night in his studio working on the concept of a firearm rendered completely useless. He believed that the most powerful way to honor Lennon and protest unnecessary violence was to make the weapon physically incapable of firing.