The following was released today by Goss Gallery:

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

WHERE: Goss Gallery 2500 Cedar Springs (at Fairmount) Dallas, TX

WHEN: Media Preview: Monday, December 4 11:00am (CST) Tour of Exhibition

Interview Opportunities: Good opportunities for live news shots at Noon, 4pm, 5pm and 6pm

Public Opening: Tuesday, December 5 11:00 am (CST) (for complete gallery hours check

WHO:Kenny Goss, owner, Goss Gallery

Filippo Tattoni-Marcozzi, Goss Gallery Director and Curator

BACKGROUND:
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. In addition, a striking image of the piano on the famed grassy knoll of Dallas, taken by celebrated Los Angeles photographer Chris Cuffaro on November 22, the anniversary of President Kennedy's assassination, will also be exhibited. 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. 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. Piano: 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. Goss Gallery: Founded by Dallas native Kenny Goss, Goss Gallery is located at 2500 Cedar Springs Road at Fairmount 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.