John Lennon Peace sculpture design unveiled at Shanghai World Expo

A six meter hand-painted scale model of a peace monument to be built for John Lennon, one of the founding members of ‘The Beatles’ Group, has been unveiled at the Liverpool pavilion at the Shanghai World Expo.

Created by young American artist Laurean Voiers, the hand-painted scale model will be about one meter tall. The full-size version will be installed permanently in October 2010 in Lennon's hometown of Liverpool, and is expected to become a major attraction for tourists on the Beatles trail. It will stand 8 feet tall, 11 feet wide, and weigh 4.5 tons. Expected to cost $350, 000, the monument will be made from a mix of brushed aluminum, acrylic and a special weather-proof coating.

Named ‘Peace and Harmony’, the monument will feature a pair of hands mounted on a globe surrounded by a guitar and music notes. On top of the monument are a number of pigeons flying out from the hands with one of the birds holding a white feather. The white feather was incorporated at the request of Lennon's son Julian, who considered it as a symbol of his father's spirit and peace.

US-based Global Peace Initiative was behind the creation of the monument, which will present the finished sculpture to ‘The Beatles Story’ in Liverpool, the world's leading Beatles-themed attraction.

Julian will unveil the final sculpture in Liverpool as part of the city's two-month event to commemorate Lennon's 70th birthday and the 30th anniversary of his death.