Berman’s gift to the Pope

NICOLA MILTZ

Self-styled artist, Joel Berman did just that recently, when he presented one of his sculptures to Pope Francis at the Vatican, in Rome.

His artwork, a colourful replica of the iconic knotted gun that symbolises non-violence worldwide, was one of several pieces selected by the Non-Violence Project Foundation (NVF) to be presented to the Pope on the International Day of Peace on September 21.

The NVP – which he supports – is an international youth-based organisation involved with violence prevention and peace education initiatives. Its mission is to engage people on how to solve conflicts peacefully. Its famous logo is the iconic Knotted Gun sculpture named Non-Violence, at first created as a memorial tribute to John Lennon.

An original bronze sculpture is displayed at the United Nations headquarters in New York.  Several replicas can be found around the world, including at the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront in Cape Town.

This year the NVP invited about 30 artists, including Berman, to put forward designs in keeping with a non-violence theme. 

“My design was chosen, so that’s how I came to be invited to present my statuette of a painted knotted gun,” said Berman this week from his apartment in Brooklyn, New York.

He said it had taken months of planning to finally have his audience with this international religious icon.

“Pope Francis makes a speech before he greets people individually. He spoke about his trip to Colombia. Cardinals then translate what he says into different languages. The message was of peace, that we are all one and we need to take care of each other. This is a man who washes the feet of his people to symbolise humility, so I really took the words to heart.

“He walked around for about two hours meeting and greeting the sick, the poor and newlyweds. He then came to me and I presented him with my statuette. He smiled, said he liked the colours and the symbolism of the gun. I told him about what we do at the NVP and he closed his eyes in prayer and blessed the cause of non violence, and wished us well with our efforts.”

“It was very special,” he said.

The New York-based artist, who grew up in Johannesburg, has come a long way since he started his art career a mere six years ago, aged 40.

With no art knowledge whatsoever and very little appreciation of art before that, he embarked on his own “wild artistic journey” almost by accident in 2011 following a serious bout of depression and anxiety.

“I went to visit a friend in Singapore and when I walked into his apartment I saw a very basic Chinese painting of a man riding a rooster. I asked my friend how much he paid and he said $20 000… I said if that piece could sell for so much, then I’ll paint you a rooster that will be worth a million dollars.”

And so, when he returned to the US he went straight to the nearest art store and painted a rooster and according to Berman “it will sell for a million plus one day”.

Following the rooster he says “colour and ideas kept coming” and “I have never stopped”.

“The art was an explosion of colour that erupted out of me like a volcano when my depression and anxiety finally lifted. I had so many years of darkness, all this colour just exploded.”

Today, Berman, described by his friends as “beyond eccentric”, claims to have sold pieces around the world. One of his more famous clients is South African-born Olympic swimmer, Princess Charlene of Monaco. Nelson Mandela personally signed one of his paintings entitled “Madiba’s Rainbow Nation” in 2011.

More recently he donated a large sum of money to Francois Pienaar’s Make a Difference Foundation with proceeds collected from his art sales. Each piece, he claims, sells for between $2 000 and $20 000.

Having learnt the not-so subtle art of promotion from his father before him, well-known Golden Gloves boxing promoter, Rodney Berman, Joel has managed to make a name for himself among New Yorkers who make up the bulk of his clients.  

Using mainly acrylic and oil, he said: “Before 2011 I had basically never painted before. I am totally self-taught and there is not an ounce of art history in my family.

“I love glitter, so once in a while I throw a little into a piece. My art is explosive, colourful and full of life. I paint with a huge passion like I’m trying to find a colour that does not exist.”