John Lennon's Iconic 'Imagine' Piano Goes to Washington To Be Photographed at the Site of Abraham Lincoln's Assassination
Musician George Michael Wants Image to Promote Peace in Today's World
WASHINGTON, April 13 /PRNewswire/ -- The following was released today
by Goss Gallery:
WHAT: The famous piano on which John Lennon composed "Imagine" in 1971
is being sent to Ford's Theatre in Washington D.C. by superstar musician
George Michael and will be photographed to help promote peace in an
increasingly violent world. The photograph will take place 142 years to the
day that one of America's most famous presidents was assassinated. To
further strengthen the message of peace, plans include having "Imagine"
played on the piano at each stop.
"By taking the piano to the site of President Lincoln's death, we are
reminded that violence has long been a part of our history," said George
Michael, "Our deepest wish is to imagine a world of peace, a world without
violence."
Michael and his partner, Kenny Goss, owner of Goss Gallery in Dallas,
plan to have the piano photographed at significant locations in the United
States and across the world where horrific acts of violence have taken
place in order to spread the message of peace. To date, photos have been
taken at Dealy Plaza, site of President Kennedy's assassination, the
Memphis site of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s death and the Texas State
Penitentiary at Huntsville, location of all of Texas' executions. Plans
call for photos in Oklahoma City, site of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal
Building bombing (April 19), the former Branch Davidian compound in Waco,
TX (April 19) and the site of the tragic school attack at Columbine High
School in Colorado (April 20). A video documentary and a published volume
of these iconic images are under development with plans to donate proceeds
to charity.
A European tour is being planned to demonstrate the global reach and
affect of violence in today's society. Sites of horrific violence that has
changed the course of history in Europe will be included. Plans include
stops at the Tower of London, a former place of imprisonment, Auschwitz
Concentration Camp, location of the devastating Nazi violence and the
devastating bombing on July 7, 2005 of the London Underground and other
locations.
The Ford's Theatre site is the forth location in this project and the
photo will be taken on Saturday, April 14.
WHERE: Ford's Theatre
Washington D.C.
WHEN: Saturday, April 14
5:00 pm until 9:00 pm Piano delivered and uncrated, moved to
photo site at Ford's Theatre
WHO: Caroline True, creative director, Imagine Piano Peace Project
Patrick G. Ryan, photographer
BACKGROUND:
George Michael bought the piano on which John Lennon composed
"Imagine", considered the most expensive piece of pop memorabilia, at an
auction in October 2000. The piano is considered priceless. However, some
experts have put its value at US$8 million to $12 million.
The song, Imagine, was first released in 1971 and was already John
Lennon's most famous post-Beatles song, but it took on a whole new life of
its own following Lennon's murder in December 1980. When first released,
"Imagine" reached No. 3 in America and No. 6 in Britain but after Lennon's
death in December 1980, the song gave him a posthumous No. 1.
Lennon bought the piano in December 1970, had it delivered to studios
at his home in Tittenhurst Park in Berkshire, composed and recorded
"Imagine" on it. The piano is a simple upright style instrument, not the
white piano which graced the cover of the album. In 1992, it was bought by
a private British collector who put it up for auction in October 2000.
Goss Gallery: Founded by Dallas native Kenny Goss, Goss Gallery
(
http://www.gossgallery.com ) is located at 2500 Cedar Springs Road at
Fairmont in Uptown Dallas. Headed by curator/director and internationally
recognized art advisor Filippo Tattoni-Marcozzi, it is a contemporary art
gallery featuring a rotating group of international young as well as
established artists and was specifically created to reflect the feel and
program of the leading galleries of London, Paris and New York, with
regularly scheduled exhibitions of 20th and 21st century contemporary
painting and photography.
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