A John Lennon statue which has travelled the world has returned to Liverpool.
The bronze statue was sculpted by Laura Lian and cast by the Castle Foundry. It was installed at the end of Penny Lane today, where it will remain for six months.
Laura said: “I was inspired by John’s way of turning away from the stuffy establishment born out of post-war and waving a new banner of peace for us to follow. I hope my statue of John Lennon will inspire a new generation to John’s and Yoko’s message of peace.”
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The statue was previously temporarily set up outside St George's Hall in 2019 and has since been around the world carrying its message. The Beatles statue has also been a frequent Glastonbury staple and has secured funding to remain installed in Liverpool for six months.
However, to remain in the city it would require further funding to remain indefinitely. The statue is said to embody the energy of "peace and love" established by John and Yoko in the 1960s.
Lian said she hopes the statue will inspire a new generation to let go of "old paradigms of war and violence and embrace a pattern of peace and friendship." The statue will have a QR code placed so people can scan and donate to the Penny Lane Development Trust.
The trust supports and funds the advancement of education of young people who live in South Liverpool, as well as the conservation of the environment within the area of benefit and helps with social welfare recreational activities.
The statue and message has been made possible with a dedicated team including AECOM for providing design and project management services and Huyton Aspahlt Civils for installing and providing the base for the statue.
Tony Carney, Huyton Asphalt Civils said: “We are proud to be involved in a project that carries such an important message for the residents of Liverpool, commemorating such an iconic figure, on one of the city’s iconic roads.”
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