Q&A: Yoko Ono Discusses John Lennon's We All Shine On Miami Benefit Exhibit
http://blogs.miaminewtimes.com/riptide/2010/01/artwork_by_john_lennon_from.php
By S. Pajot
Jan. 8 2010
For a certain kind of pop culture observer, Yoko Ono will always
remain defined by her marriage to John Lennon. And Lennon will always
remain a Beatle.
These people, though, have misread history. They ignore (or are
ignorant of) Ms. Ono's pre- and post-Lennon work as a conceptual
artist, occasional Fluxus member, and noise punk pioneer. They fail
to appreciate the profound and positive countereffect that this now
76-year-old artist and icon had upon her husband during their decade
and a half together. These people forget that Ono-Lennon were full
partners in art, activism, and life.
Maybe, in the end, John's greatest collaborator wasn't Paul or George
or Ringo. It was Yoko. For 30 years now, she has managed her
husband's legacy, using Lennon's music, art, and image to help him
make the world a better place, even three decades after his death.
And the most recent of these philanthropic endeavors is We All Shine
On, an Adopt-a-Classroom benefit exhibit and sale of John Lennon
serigraphs and lithographs at the Miami Beach Community Church,
running January 15 through 17.
New Times: Tell me about John Lennon's sketches. They're deceptively
simple and very distinctive. How did he arrive at that style?
Yoko Ono: You know, he wasn't copying anybody. He wasn't influenced
by anybody. That's what he told me. I think some people said, "Well,
you know, you must have gotten it from whatever." But really, what
happened was he started to do drawings when he was about 9 or
something. And the kind of drawings that he was doing then was
incredible. I mean, it was a very mature comic strip kind of thing.
And it had a message. You know, it usually had a kind of cynical idea
about what was printed in newspapers. It said Liverpool Echo, which
was the name of the Liverpool newspaper then. And having these sort
of ugly people mixed in with the Liverpool Echo ... It was great.
The music side of the Ono-Lennon collaboration is well known. But
did you two collaborate much when it came to drawing or other kinds
of visual art?
No. I mean, how could you collaborate on a drawing? You just do it,
right? If it's a collage or sculpture or something, a lot of people
do collaborate, but not when it's just sketches. He was doing that
all by himself and it was like a security blanket for him because
when he was depressed he'd be doing it. And the drawing didn't
necessarily represent his mood. Usually, the drawings had a
happy-go-lucky kind of mood when he was really depressed. And, in
that sense, he was kind of trying to give himself a break, I suppose.
How did you become involved with Adopt-A-Classroom?
Oh, I didn't get involved or anything. I'll tell you what I do: I
send the program when there's a request and then I check and when I
feel it's alright, then I'll ask them to recommend a charity. And,
you know, they will usually recommend a few charities and I pick
something that would have been close to John's heart.
OK. As for your activism in general, there was a report earlier this
week that you traveled to the Philippines and donated $55,000 for
Tropical Storm Ketsana relief.
Yes, it was $55,000. But I didn't travel to the Philippines. I know
some people in Tokyo and some Filipinos. They told me about what was
going on in the Philippines and I got very saddened by it and I
though maybe I could help. But you see this is the kind of thing
that's happening to me all the time. I don't just give. I only give
when my heart tells me, "Oh, this is something I want to help with."
And this situation was one of those things. But it's not necessarily
picked up usually, so it's very interesting that the media picked up
on this one.
To change the topic a bit, the US continues to fight the War in
Afghanistan, a nine-year-old conflict. But still there's no visible
peace movement like there was in the '60s. Do you have any idea why
that's the case?
Well, I think people are sort of scared to take sides on those
measures, you know, on a political level. And, you know, the safest
way is to go along with what the administration is planning. So
people just get scared, I suppose. I only try to help, not by taking
sides, but to help children, orphans, or women in need.
Mostly, people recognize John Lennon as a Beatle and a songwriter.
But how central is activism or protest to his legacy?
I think it's very important. But also when you say "protest," you
know, I think some people in the '60s had the right idea, to do it
with a sense of humor or a smile or something. But then some people
just decided to pull their anger out and that doesn't help anybody.
We just can't protest in that sense. I think there are many other,
gentler ways of doing it that might be more effective.
Right. Well, for events like this one, the emphasis tends to be on
John Lennon's message of peace and love. But his music sometimes
showed an angry and pessimistic side.
Oh, yes, of course. He was just a human being. He didn't want to
cover up his anger and say, well, "peace and love!" And that's why
people liked him, because he was very real and he didn't hide being real.
Will you be in Miami on January 15 for We All Shine On?
No, I'm sorry I can't be there. But I'll be there in spirit and, of
course, John's artwork will speak loudest.
In that case, what would you tell Miamians if you could be here?
Well, John's going to tell it with his work in a way. But I'd like to
mention that his work represents, without saying it, a love and peace
kind of world and a sense of humor. And nothing to do with anger ...
Well, it might have something to do with anger, so I shouldn't say
that. (Laughs) But, in general, it's to do with peace.
--
Friday, January 15 through Sunday, January 17. Miami Beach Community
Church, 1620 Drexel Ave., Miami Beach. Exhibit hours are noon to 9
p.m. on Friday, noon to 8 p.m. on Saturday, and 1 to 7 p.m. on
Sunday. Admission's free, but a two-dollar donation is suggested.
Call 305-674-4470 or visit adoptaclassroom.org.
.
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