1985 – The Cold War

Early in 1985 I was working at the United Nations in Geneva.

One night I had a vision in a dream. I described what I saw to the graphic artist Diego Oyarzun a brilliant graphic artist who designed the covers for UN publications, and with whom I shared the office.

I described the Escher style painting I saw in my vision, morphing the star symbol of the American flag and the hammer and sickle Of the Russian flag, with a peace dove at the centre.

Diego produced this poster later that year.

The Geneva Summit took place in November of that year, between Ronald Reagan and Mikhail Gorbachev. The two leaders met for the first time to hold talks on international diplomatic relations and the arms race.

Both their wives, Nancy Reagan and Raisa Gorbachev visited the International School in Geneva on separate occasions. They were each given signed copies of this painting.

1989 – The Fall of the Berlin Wall

The Berlin Wall came down in 1989 and the Cold War ended in 1991.