John Lennon's Iconic 'Imagine' Piano to be Photographed on Dallas' Famed Grassy Knoll on Anniversary of Kennedy Assassination

John Lennon's Iconic 'Imagine' Piano to be Photographed on Dallas' Famed Grassy Knoll on Anniversary of Kennedy Assassination

Musician George Michael Wants Image to Commemorate Peace; First Time Piano has Left United Kingdom

DALLAS, Nov. 21 /PRNewswire/ -- WHAT: The famous piano on which John Lennon composed "Imagine" in 1971 has been shipped to the United States by superstar musician George Michael as the centerpiece of a specially curated photography exhibition (opening to the public on December 5) at Goss Gallery (www.gossgallery.com) celebrating peace. This is the first time the piano has left the United Kingdom.

George Michael and his partner, Kenny Goss, Goss Gallery owner, plan to have the piano photographed at significant sites to help spread the message of peace. The Dallas site is the first location in this project and the photo will be taken at 12:30 pm (CST) to commemorate President John Kennedy's legacy.

WHERE: Grassy Knoll at Dealey Plaza
Dallas, TX

WHEN: Wednesday, November 22
8:00am until 1:00pm

Piano delivered and uncrated, moved to site on
grassy knoll at Dealey Plaza

12:30pm (approx.) Photo taken

WHO: Joyce Goss, Goss Gallery
Chris Cuffaro, photographer (www.cuffarophoto.com)

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 reportedly for 1.45m pounds Sterling (US$2.1 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.

Imagine Exhibit

The work of three photographers, Don McCullin, Gabriele Basilico, Tomas Munita, that have confronted themselves with war zones will accompany the piano display at Goss Gallery in Dallas, along with the "Gimme Some Truth" video of John Lennon playing the song for the first time to wife Yoko Ono and the Plastic Ono Band.

The show will premiere in Dallas on December 5 and continue through January 13, 2007. Plans call for a tour of the exhibition throughout the United States and Europe with a schedule of venues to be announced in the near future.

Goss Gallery is a leading contemporary modern art gallery and is owned by George Michael's long-time partner, Kenny Goss. Michael and Goss conceived the show to underline their belief in delivering a theme of world peace to the people who will see the art, using the notoriety of the piano to draw attention to that message. Goss Gallery Director and Curator Filippo Tattoni-Marcozzi carefully selected the photographers and images for the "Imagine" show, matching the emotions of the art with the overriding theme of peace.

In conjunction with the show, six images of the piano, each in a limited edition print series signed by the photographer, will be available through Goss Gallery. The images were taken by the United Kingdom's noted celebrity photographer, Richard Young, who has photographed iconic stars in stage, screen and music (www.richardyoungonline.com). A collector's edition catalogue of the show (US$30 plus postage and handling) will also be available for sale exclusively through the gallery with net proceeds, estimated to be 60% of the cover price, to benefit amfAR(TM), The Foundation for AIDS Research (www.amfar.org).

Goss Gallery: Founded by Dallas native Kenny Goss, Goss Gallery (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.

Web site: http://www.gossgallery.com
http://www.cuffarophoto.com
http://www.richardyoungonline.com
http://www.amfar.org

Source: Goss Gallery

CONTACT: Barbara Buzzell, office, +1-214-219-9191,
cell, +1-214-912-0691, bb@buzzellco.com, for Goss Gallery

NOTE TO EDITORS: PHOTO and INTERVIEW Opportunity, 8:00am to 1pm CST

-------
Profile: intent