Legendary artist, peace activist and musician has been exhibiting her collection, War Is Over! (if you want it), at the Museum of Contemporary Art, here in Sydney. It finishes in February.
Famously described by John Lennon as ‘the world’s most famous
unknown artist’, Ono's innovative work seamlessly moves between generations and takes you on a journey from the personal to the political. Ono embraces the themes of loss, conflict, humanity, and the desire for world
peace through her art. Her sculptures, installations, written texts, films,
sound compositions and interactive art works engage you in a number of activities that range from mending and arranging broken
crockery, to stamping world maps with peace stamps, to writing personal messages of love to your mother.
With her fame and/or notoriety through her marriage to John Lennon, Ono has been unfairly judged in the past. It's important to note that Ono was
a recognised artist (New YorkFluxus) before she met Lennon, and over the past decade has experienced a surge of recognition. War Is Over! takes its title from the words Ono and John Lennon placed on
billboards in a dozen cities around the world in 1969, calling for an
end to armed conflicts.
I really love the uplifting experience of being inspired by other people's creativity and insight. This exhibition is a moving and intelligent commentary that is as relevant as when these concepts were first envisioned decades ago.
