| McCartney first exhibited his art in September 2000 |
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| Sir Paul McCartney has unveiled a painting dedicated to Heather Mills, who he is marrying this summer. |
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| Big Heart will go on display at Liverpool's Walker Gallery on Friday as part of the UK's first comprehensive exhibition of the former Beatle's paintings. |
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| The painting, which is one of only a few works he has completed since meeting his fiancée, consists of a large red heart-shape containing the etched figure of a female nude. |
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| Michael Simpson, curator of the Walker Gallery exhibition, said: "The life work of Paul McCartney is all about heart. |
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| Pride' |
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| "Without heart, art is not art - it is meaningless. |
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| "Heart is epicentral to Paul, and to what people - particularly Liverpool people - feel about Paul." |
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| He added: "There is pride in our hearts that the gallery through which Paul first wandered as a schoolboy with John Lennon can mark his passionate creativity with this show." |
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| The engagement was announced in July 2001 |
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| The exhibition, which includes 70 paintings alongside wood sculptures and photographs, will be launched with a party on Thursday evening. |
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| Jo Cooper, the gallery's communications manager, described Big Heart as "iconic of McCartney". |
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| "Liverpool has always been in the heart of McCartney - he has never forgotten his home town, nor how from his roots here he and his pals would effect changes in the hearts of the world together. |
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| "Paul McCartney has always sung about love and now he is painting it. This exhibition is symbolic of the man and of his moment in our time," said Ms Cooper. |
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| "Paul McCartney has always sung about love and now he is painting it. This exhibition is symbolic of the man and of his moment in our time," said Ms Cooper. |
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| Sir Paul recently completed a long US tour which saw him drawing on the whole of his prodigious catalogue, from the early Beatles period onwards. |
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| He is also one of the stars lined up to perform for the Queen's Jubilee Party At The Palace on 3 June. |
