Back in 2000, John Lennon’s famed piano that “Imagine” was written on, was acquired (for a cool $2.1 million) by George Michael for his partner’s gallery, Goss Gallery, in Dallas. Recently the piano is being shared with the public as a statement of peace.
The piano was put on display at the front door of the Texas State Prison on the same day as the execution of James Lee Clark. Clark was sentenced to death for the rape and shooting of a North Texas high school girl in 1993. Creative Director Caroline True commented to the Houston Chronicle, “What this guy did was violent and the death penalty is violent. The best way to do this is quietly, unobstrusively. We don’t want to upset anybody. We’re just trying to say there’s so much violence in the world, that it’s senseless. What we’re doing, the piano is a symbol of peace. It’s as simple as that. We’re taking it to places where extreme situations of violence have occurred and taking a picture of the day of or the anniversary of. We’re just making a very simple statement: ‘Imagine all the people living life in peace. You may say I’m a dreamer but I’m not the only one,’ All you need is that verse.”
According to the article, this is not the first or last stop for the piano. It will be hitting up places all over the country where acts of violence have taken place, such as Dallas (JFK shooting), Memphis (MLK slaying), Waco (Branch Davidian compound), New York (World Trade Towers) and Oklahoma City (federal building bombing). There are possible plans of a book and documentary of the whole tour.
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