John Lennon probably would have been humbled that anyone would make a big deal about his life and work -- and his belongings -- after he was gone, but the fact remains seeing John Lennon's personal items, whether at the Rock Hall of Fame Annex in New York, at the John Lennon Museum in Tokyo or the White Feather exhibit in Liverpool, especially a collection of items, had to be an emotional experience.
We never got to any of those places, though we did see Lennon's "A Hard Day's Night" jacket in a traveling MTV exhibit many years ago. It was an experience we've never forgotten. Now times that by several and you get what we mean.
Now all of these exhibits are closed, or in the case of the Tokyo Museum, about to close in September. And while there are places, like the Rock Hall of Fame in Cleveland, where you might see some things, three places dedicated to his memory are going or already gone.
John Lennon and his memory deserves better. Certainly, we have his music that lives on and will never be forgotten. But exhibits like White Feather and the Rock Hall Annex gave us physical reminders of what was. Now they are history.
Said Joan Athey, curator of the "Give Peace A Chance" photo exhibition www.artvisionexhibitions.com on now in Coventry, England and opening October 9 at the Discovery Museum in Lake Country, Ill, "For the spontaneous combustion Yoko favours in all her attempts to wake people up to oneness, with declining visitors, Tokyo may have become stagnant. It is too far away for hands-on-growth and evolution. The public continues to be stimulated by Lennon's ideas, their romance and the ultimate purity of Yoko's intentions. Bring it home, Yoko."
Hopefully, something else can be worked out to make something like these exhibits happen again or for something more permanent. John Lennon was a rich personality whose vibrant image still lives on amongst those who knew him personally and through his music.
Exhibits, whether they be pictures of him and Yoko conducting a bed-in or personal items like the ones exhibited in New York (as in the slideshow below) were great reminders of it all.
He will always be remembered. But being that he's no longer among us, some pieces of his world to help us imagine what it was like would be a nice way to see that memory more clearly.
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Comments
As long as Yoko dictates to rewrite history at the various exhibits, you will never get a real picture of John.
It's not all about Yoko! No one cares about her- she needs to understand that!
Yoko, you'll recall, helped get out unreleased Lennon recordings before the Beatles released the "Anthology." And Yoko's view of his history is as valid as what the White Feather and "Give Peace a Chance" and Rock Hall Annex exhibits had to offer. The question is why not honor his memory somehow with giving the stuff somewhere to be seen? That's all I'm asking.
Back in about 1985 Yoko did an interview in which she stated she wanted to create a "Lennon Center" and create a "Lennon Scholarship". The Lennon Center was to be a permanent museum and a library of Lennons music, writings and art work etc. It was also to be a place where people can learn how to make music. It was to be complete by the 10th annniversary of his death. I wonder what ever happened to those plans?
geno
Geno: There is a Lennon scholarship. And there is the Imagine Peace Tower in Iceland, which could, I suppose, be called a symbolic Lennon center.
I agree, bring the Japan exhibit over here. I am really upset I never got a chance to see it.
Geno- the JL Educational Tour Bus is a place where people learn how to make music. It's not an actual building but a bus that tours around the country.
My family saw the Annex exhibit and it was wonderful. It was opened as a temporary exhibit, like the other ones that go there.
Karen, it may notbe about Yoko, but I have to admit I she is very respectful of his memory and as a fan, I appreciate that. He needs to be remembered and I think she does a great job in the sense.
Having been to the Tokyo (actually Saitama) JL Museum several times, it is sad to see it go. It was truly a labor of love and perhaps was too complete... with not enough of a rotating exhibit to go there more than once or twice thus killing the demand. I'm sure the world-wide recession felt quite strongly here in Japan was perhaps the final straw. I am also sure however that parts of the exhibit will be moved or go on tour and thus be seen by more people else where.
Living in th NY area, I got to see the RRHOF Annex exhibit ... several times. It was THAT good, and had nothing to do with any "rewriting of history". The artifacts, home movies, handwritten lyrics, etc were all presented in a meaningful and respectful way. And for those chirping about Yoko ... the Wjite Feather thing was done by Cynthia and Julian, and was terrific too (got to see it in Liverpool last year). It obviously leaned more to the 60's in contrast to the NYC one which was more rooted in the 70's. Both were terrific and worth seeing if you love John. Next trip .... staying in the LENNON SUITE at the Queen Elizabeth in Montreal !
@Karen and Melody
Well said! We want the real picture of John, and Yoko rewrites history instead!
I think all this stuff should be exhibited somewhere, no doubt, because it is worth to be seen and remember him. But as you can already see in the slide-show: the whole life BEFORE Yoko would be left out. That is why Cynthia's White Feather exhibition is so much better: it is centered on John, his life before and during the Beatles, and not on the wife at his side.
Best would be to bring White Feather and the stuff Yoko has together...than the memories would be whole again.
But that would never happen, because Yoko claims to own his memories exclusively.
Astrid
I also went to the RNRHOF annex exhibit and I did not like it. I thought there wasn't enough. Several people in my group (all first generation fans, so this is not only my opinion) were sorry we went, felt that there was way too much Yoko and not enough John in the exhibit.
So yes, Steve, why ISN'T all this stuff somewhere were people can view it as was the original plan that Geno pointed out. Why? Because Yoko is in posession of it and ties conditions to it, and if her conditions aren't met, we don't get to see it... One wonders why the Peace Tower is in Iceland? Nothing against the Icelandic people, I'm sure they are fans too, but is the Peace Tower a destination vacation? John didn't live there. Why not in Liverpool or New York where he did live?
Karen,
If you go to imaginepeace.com there is an explanation as to why Iceland was selected. You are right though, it wouldn't have been my first choice. Again, the Annex exhibit was called "The New York Years" and that is why the Beatle stuff isn't there. I agree it would be great to have all these things where we can go see them, but at the end of the day, these things belong to Yoko, he was her husband. I'm happy to see whatever she shares with us.
So relieved to read that all these exploitative exhibits are ending or will soon. Hopefully the expanded remasters of John's solo work can be halted, too. Nothing but another Yoko money grab. Then John's memory and music can finally rest in peace and gradually be forgotten. No more Yoko basking in his reflected glory! That's what I call a legacy.
You pathetic babbling, petty people. That's what you want isn't it? Your hatred for Yoko exceeds your love for John.
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