Item Overview

Artist: Brett Livingstone Strong; Title: "World Friendship Monument"; Type: Bronze sculpture with removable colored blown glass globe of Earth produced by Lundberg Studios, mounted on a black marble base that supports five twisting bronze sheaves of wheat representing the five populated continents; Year Produced: 1991; Signed, dated, and numbered (117/500) Limited Edition created after the original life sized sculpture commemorating President Ronald Reagan's and General Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev's cooperative initiatives toward world peace in celebration of the historic disarmament treaties; Approximate Measurement: 17" tall x 12.25" width/diameter of the marble base; Approximate Weight: 35 pounds.

About the Artist

Brett Livingstone Strong is an Australian-born artist who gained international recognition for his unique style of painting and his contributions to the art world. He was born in 1950 in Sydney, Australia, and grew up in a family that encouraged his artistic talents from an early age.

At the age of 14, Strong was already exhibiting his paintings in art galleries around Australia. In the late 1960s, he moved to California to pursue his career as an artist. It was there that he met the legendary pop artist, Andy Warhol, who became his mentor and friend.

In the early 1970s, Strong began to develop his own style of painting, which he called "Trans-Expressionism." His paintings were characterized by bold, bright colors, and strong, flowing lines. His work quickly gained recognition, and he was soon exhibiting his paintings in galleries around the world.

In the 1980s, Strong became involved in the Hollywood film industry, creating sets and designing costumes for films such as "The Witches of Eastwick" and "The Color Purple." Strong's reputation grew, and he became known as one of the most innovative artists of his generation. He was commissioned to create several high-profile works, including a statue of the late actor James Dean, which was unveiled in 1988. He also worked on music videos for artists such as Michael Jackson, creating the artwork for Jackson's album covers.

Strong is an artist who is well-known for his ability to capture the essence of his subjects in his sculptures. One of his most iconic works is the bronze statue of John Lennon that he created in 1981, just months after the musician's untimely death. The statue, which is located in the garden of Lennon's former home at Tittenhurst Park in Ascot, England, is a powerful tribute to one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century.

Strong's artistic contributions were recognized when he was commissioned to create a series of portraits of the late President Ronald Reagan. The paintings were unveiled in the White House in 1990 and were later exhibited in the Reagan Presidential Library.

In 1998, a massive boulder weighing 116 tons fell onto the Pacific Coast Highway in California, causing a major traffic disruption. However, for artist Brett Livingstone Strong, the boulder represented an opportunity to create a truly unique work of art. Strong saw the boulder as the perfect canvas for a sculpture of John Wayne, one of Hollywood's most iconic actors.

The boulder had originally been part of the Malibu Canyon area, and Strong saw in its rough, jagged surface a natural resemblance to the rugged landscape that often featured in Wayne's films. He spent months studying photographs and videos of the actor, as well as interviewing those who knew him, in order to capture the essence of his personality and character.

The resulting sculpture is a remarkable feat of artistic vision and technical skill. Strong used dynamite to carve the rough shape of the sculpture into the boulder, before carefully chiseling and shaping the stone to create the details and contours of Wayne's likeness. The sculpture, which stands at over 13 feet tall and weighs over 20,000 pounds, is a stunning example of Strong's ability to work with massive, unwieldy materials.

Throughout his career, Strong has been recognized for his contributions to the art world. He has received numerous awards and honors, including being inducted into the Royal Society of Arts in London and being awarded the Order of Australia Medal in 2007.

Today, Strong continues to create art and exhibit his work around the world. His paintings can be found in numerous public and private collections, and his influence on the art world continues to be felt.