Adding to the long list of John Lennon memorials around the world is Hamilton, Bermuda which pays tribute to the ex-Beatle's visit in 1980.
The new John Lennon statue titled "Double Fantasy" which sits in the Bermuda Botanical Gardens was unveiled in June 2012. Bermuda artist Graham Foster designed the six-foot circular steel sculpture which features a double image of Lennon's face along with images of a guitar, flowers and doves.
In the summer of 1980, John Lennon took a sailing trip down to Bermuda. After he arrived, he was later joined by his 4-year-old son, Sean, his personal assistant, Fred Seaman, and Sean's nanny. Many songs on Lennon's last album, Double Fantasy, were written or completed during Lennon's two-month stay in Bermuda. The name of the album was even influenced by Lennon's trip when he saw the Double Fantasy freesia flower in the Bermuda Botanical Gardens.
Yoko Ono supported the creation of the sculpture and sent a video message in honor of the unveiling. "John was immensely inspired by Bermuda. His spirit is now a part of the Bermuda Botanical Gardens where I hope peace and love will grow," she said.
The efforts of organizers Tony Brannon and Michael Freisenbruch to promote Lennon's link with Bermuda will undoubtedly attract tourists. In September, they organized the first Lennon tribute concert in Bermuda featuring local and international artists and raised over $90,000 for charity. Plans are now underway to make this an annual event. The second concert will take place on September 21, 2013 [not April as originally reported]. Roy Young, who played with The Beatles in Hamburg, is scheduled to be one of the performers (see correction below).
A book on Lennon's experiences in Bermuda has been published called "Lennon Bermuda" and a tribute CD of the same name has been released on CD. For more information on the Lennon statue and tribute events in Bermuda, visit doublefantasybermuda.com
As former Tourism Minister Wayne Furbert said: “The love for John Lennon will make Bermuda a place to visit.”
January 2, 2013 correction: Roy Young played at the first Lennon tribute concert in September 2012. The lineup for the second concert scheduled for September 2013 has not been announced yet. The "Lennon Bermuda" CD will be released worldwide in April.
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