“While art is undeniably subjective, photography offers a direct connection to the soul. No intermediary, no interference. What you see is what you get…” These are the words in the introduction to Life’s Fragile Moments (teNeues Verlag, 2024) that Julian Lennon perhaps best sums up his love for the medium.
This first work thus captures all “the fragile moments of his life”, combining portraits of his famous friends, captivating faces of anonymous people, images of nature and desaturated landscapes taken during his travels for The White Feather Foundation that he founded. An inaugural publication, which was accompanied by his first retrospective, Whispers, at the Stanze della Fotografia Museum in Venice. Today, the photographs are visible and accessible to the public in his virtual gallery.
Keen observer
His name is unfamiliar to anyone. He’s one of John’s two sons, the eldest, from the icon’s first marriage to artist Cynthia Lennon. Singer-songwriter, philanthropist, photographer, director, producer, children’s storyteller… Julian Lennon never ceases to reveal his many facets.
The 62-year-old Liverpool native began his music career with chart-topping hits like Valotte (1984), Too Late for Goodbyes (1985), Saltwater (1991) or I Should Have Known (1998). But his attraction to photography manifested itself very early, partly thanks to his father’s Polaroid SX-70 Land, which fascinated him from the age of 10. “I always loved taking pictures, but it’s true that my father’s camera was the one that gave me the most pleasure, thanks to the immediate satisfaction of seeing the image develop in five minutes. This is also why digital photography attracted me,” he explains.
His passion turned into a vocation. His first exhibition took place years later, in 2010, with “Timeless” at the Morrison Hotel Gallery in New York. “I felt like I was having a stroke the first night of the show; I was expecting criticism, as I thought the art scene would turn on me, a musician new to the world of photography. But I was very pleasantly surprised by the reception. The reviews were fabulous. The fans were lovely, and it was incredible to see my friends and family, whom I hadn’t seen in years, come out to support me.”
Since then, Julian Lennon has multiplied his exhibitions and “Life’s Fragile Moments” is one of them. a first consecration. “I’ve always dreamed of a book of fine art photography. I tried several times and submitted the idea to several publishers, but they always came back with little, if any, enthusiasm, until teNeues contacted me. I was thrilled with the idea because the timing seemed perfect: launching the book at the same time as the opening of my retrospective. And the two turned out to be totally compatible creatively.”
Vision of the world and of the intimate
Throughout the 240 pages, the images transport us to the landscapes and villages of Africa, the deserts of America, the seascapes of Europe, the peoples of South America, the cities of New York, Los Angeles, Berlin, Saigon, Paris, and even the turquoise blue of the Caribbean.
The book is also punctuated by meditative cloudy visions, short, personal and poetic texts, and of course a myriad of artists from the worlds of art, music and photography, such as Ai Wei Wei, Bono, Sting, Paul Buchanan, Henry Diltz, Timothy White, Mick Rock, Courtney Love, Lana Del Rey, his half-brother Sean Ono Lennon… “Every person here is special to me in their own way, but of those mentioned in the book, those closest to me are my brother Sean and my oldest childhood friend Justin Clayton, as well as the late Mark Spiro, a dear friend and collaborator for many years.”
From “Whispers” to “Life’s Fragile Moments”, this road trip enthusiast combines all his passions, offering a wide spectrum of his artistic work in a variety of styles between black and white, pastel and sepia. The same is true in this play of shadows and lights that lets these moments of humanity filter through. On the cover of the book? Charlene Wittstock preparing to marry Prince Albert II of Monaco. “With the publisher, we found that it echoed the title and the general theme of the book. I also find it very interesting that many people don’t realize that I am in the photo,” he says with humor.
Humanitarianism as a key focus
While photography has been built over time, his attachment to the environment, the planet and humanitarianism actively materialized in 2007. Julian Lennon became a philanthropist and created The White Feather Foundation , focused on the preservation of indigenous cultures.
“My father once told me that if he were to pass away, if there was a way to let me know he was okay—or that we were all okay—the message would come to me in the form of a white feather. Then something happened to me while I was touring the Photograph Smile album in Australia. Iris, an elder from the Mirnings Aboriginal tribe, gave me a white feather, which took my breath away. After receiving it, I knew this initiative would become an integral part of my destiny.”
Today, the foundation has expanded its work into three other areas: clean water, the environment, and education and health. Joining this effort is the Cynthia Lennon Scholarship, launched in 2015 in memory of her mother. In ten years, 75 grants have been awarded to young women from seven countries.
In the meantime, Julian Lennon continues to embrace other forms of expression. He is also a children’s author (Touch the Earth trilogy on ecology) and a documentary filmmaker (Kiss the Ground and Common Ground on the positive impact of regenerative agriculture). However, he remains above all a man of commitment. “We live in a world that is ‘connected’ thanks to technology, but we are increasingly disconnected from what really matters. The future of humanity depends on the good health of our soils and oceans, and the more connected we are to planet Earth, the easier it is to protect it from further harm for generations to come.”
Always at the crossroads of disciplines
The man who inspired one of the Beatles’ most legendary hits, Hey Jude, written by Paul McCartney for him as a child, marked his return to music after a ten-year hiatus with Jude, his latest album in 2022. His work is undoubtedly his most introspective, linked to his legacy, his inner wounds, his existence. “I took possession of Jude with the title of my album, and especially when I legally changed my name by single-member deed in 2020 to Julian, thus reversing my middle name, as at birth, to the first, which was originally John.”
In 2025, his current events remain diverse. Starting with his photography exhibition, Whispers Too, during Milan Design Week last April, retracing his artistic journey through selected works from his Venetian retrospective.
On the music front, while his longtime collaborator Gregory Darling released the track A New Dream , with him on vocals, Julian Lennon is now focusing on singles and EPs. “Creating an album is a long and intense process, and while I have enough material to record several more, I much prefer the single and EP format. Music consumption is different from what it was when I started. While vinyl is making a welcome comeback, listening habits are more anchored in the here and now.”
A discreet man, a versatile artist, and a creator in his own right, Julian Lennon continues his photographic, musical, and humanitarian journey. “My life and career are constantly evolving. I’m always eager to discover new places and share new experiences, both personally and creatively.”
Whispers can be seen in the virtual gallery
Life’s Fragile Moments is available from Éditions teNeues Verlag for €70.
Julian Lennon’s official website
