Julian and Cynthia Lennon, in association with the Beatles Story, present the world premiere of White Feather: The Spirit of Lennon --- a stunning immersive experience of a family story backed by previously unshared personal possessions.
Opening on Wednesday 17th June in John Lennon’s home town of Liverpool, the world famous Beatles Story gives visitors the opportunity to experience a unique personal narration of life with John - by his son Julian, and Julian’s mother, Cynthia.
Beginning in Merseyside with the meeting at art college of John and Cynthia it follows the journey from their clandestine marriage and the birth of Julian, both of which coincide with the sharply increasing trajectory of the band’s fame and fortune. The exhibition culminates in the story of Cynthia and John’s separation and divorce, giving visitors the chance to immerse themselves in the personal journey of a normal family’s struggle to cope with the effects of fame thrown upon them; particularly relevant in today’s celebrity conscious society.
Nothing demonstrates this more acutely than the title of the exhibition, ‘‘White Feather’’. During a tender moment when Julian was a child, John first spoke to him about the white feather. As Julian explains: ‘‘The white feather is so prevalent in my life. One thing for sure is that it’s always represented peace to me. And one of the things my father said to me was that should he pass away, if there was some way of
letting me know he was going to be ok, or that we were all going to be ok, it was by in some way, shape or form presenting me with a white feather.’’
Then, around ten years ago while Julian was on tour in Australia, a group of Aborigines presented him with a white feather, asking him to be the voice for their plight. It was a breathtaking and inspirational moment for Julian. This episode motivated Julian to set up The White Feather Foundation, a charity that embraces environmental and humanitarian issues and helps to raise funds to improve the life of others.
Julian Lennon says: ‘‘John Lennon is an idol to millions of people who grew up loving his music and ideals, but to me he is the father I loved and lost. I hope this exhibition lets people see another aspect of his life and our time together as a family. This collection represents something of great importance to us as it is part of our history.’’
White Feather: The Spirit of Lennon, takes place at the recently expanded world famous Beatles Story within the new Mersey Ferries terminal building on Liverpool’s renowned waterfront before touring worldwide. Neil Scales, Chief Executive and Director General of Merseytravel, which owns the Beatles Story, says: "This is a
story about a family; but it is also a story of global significance and one that opens up the lives of John, Cynthia and Julian in a way never seen before.
"We are in the business of creating the world's number one Beatles experience at the Beatles Story and to have this exclusive on our doorstep - John's home town - is a privilege."
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