Want a new car? World peace? A fine wine with dinner tonight?
Your wishes may come true if you stop by the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York City this summer.
MoMA has installed Yoko Ono's "Wish Tree" in the Sculpture Garden as part of the new exhibit, Contemporary Art from the Collection.
Visitors pin their hopes and dreams on Yoko Ono's "Wishing Tree" installation at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City, June 2010 (photo: Leslie Koch)
The tree attracts a steady stream of visitors who write their dreams, hopes and prayers on paper tags and attach them to the slender branches.
When the tree is completely covered with wishes, the paper tags are removed and placed in a glass box on the second floor. They become part of the contemporary art exhibit, with runs through September 2011.
Variety of wishes
Wishes run from the mundane ("I wish to come back here soon") to the optimistic ("I wish everybody lived happily ever after") and the downright impossible ("I wish for the sun to rise in the west and set in the east").
Some visitors are selfless, using their wish on a loved one ("I wish for my brother's teeth to be fixed").
Others have more carnal motives ("I wish to get laid").
>> View the photo slideshow (below) to see more wishes from the MoMA exhibit
On a sunny day in late June, the wishing tree had a decidedly academic flavor. Several visitors wished to get into (or afford) their dream college.
Wishes are written in a dozen languages, reflecting the diverse group of travelers who pass through MoMA's doors each day.
Tribute to peace
The "Wish Tree" is a tribute to Yoko Ono and John Lennon's campaign for world peace.
Since Lennon's death in 1981, "Wish Tree" has been exhibited throughout the world.
Over 700,000 wishes have been collected from art exhibits, emails and letters over the past 30 years, according to the Imagine Peace website.
The wishes are sent to the Imagine Peace Tower in Reykjavik, Iceland. The tower, which features a pillar of light, was unveiled on October 9, 2007-- what would have been Lennon's 67th birthday.
Ono's "Wish Tree" was inspired by her childhood in Japan. When visiting a temple, she would write a wish on a piece of paper and attach it to a tree branch.
Visitors think of wishes to add to Yoko Ono's Wish Tree exhibit at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City, June 2010. (photo: Leslie Koch)
What do you wish for?
Share your wish with Yoko Ono by visiting the "Wish Tree" at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), emailing wish@IMAGINEPEACE.com or sending a direct message on Twitter to IPTower.
Remember, there's no guarantee your wishes will be granted. Neither Ms. Ono nor MoMA claim to have fate-altering powers.
However, experts say the first step to accomplishing your goals is to write them down!
Museum details
What: Yoko Ono's "Wish Tree" (1996/2010)
Where: Museum of Modern Art (MoMA),
11 West 53 Street, New York, NY 10019. Tel: (212) 708-9400
When: The Wish Tree installation will end in Fall 2010. The "Contemporary Art from the Collection" exhibit, which contains additional works by Yoko Ono, is open until September 12, 2011.
Cost: $20 adult/ $16 senior/ $12 student/ FREE for children aged 16 & under
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Comments
Thanks for the close-up shots! Great to read the wishes one by one. I'll have to check it out!
Absolutely LOVE this concept! Its nice to see something positive and uplifting as this in NYC ! Love it! How beautiful!
Makes me think of the song "A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes"... I know what my wish is – for my husband to find a job!
I see that it is possible to email a wish, but can you also tweet a wish?
@Ted- Yes, you can tweet a wish. Send a Direct Message on Twitter to IPTower. Good luck!
Great wish method..interesting read.
Cheers..
Great article- Thanks!
That is pretty cool, Leslie. Great read! I may send a wish to you to put on Yoko's tree. It would be for my cat, Lennon...
I never heard of this. Great article and concept! What a way to inspire people. Outstanding pics!!
What a great idea- when you put your dreams out there they frequently come true.
It may be a great concept but the selfish wishes of some taint it.
I like the examples of wishes that were posted on the tree. Very funny and very diverse wishes!
I love this and also what Yoko Ono is doing. I remember her plea for peace at the Torino Olympics. The Wish Tree is a takeoff of the Wailing Wall in Jerusalem, where people place handwritten messages containing wishes in-between the bricks. It's a great idea.
wow.. what a cool wish tree.. Yoko Ono and John Lennon's campaign for world peace is really praiseworthy! it has left its mark in history and this is a wonderful legacy they can be proud of!
Yoko Ono is a real avant garde artist. That's what makes NY great.
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