Yoko’s emotional visit to Lennon’s art exhibition

May 31 2008 by Laura Sharpe, Liverpool Daily Post

YOKO ONO made an emotional visit to Liverpool yesterday to visit a collection of John Lennon’s artwork.

Wearing her signature white trilby hat, Yoko said she was choked when she walked into the Daily Post and Echo building on Old Hall Street and saw a huge picture of John.

Yoko visited The Art of John Lennon – the largest single collection of his drawings, prints and lithographs shown in the UK.

She said: “This is incredible, it’s some building, so beautiful with the natural light.

“It’s so great the exhibition is in Liverpool, it’s so prominent and it goes without saying it’s a great year for it to be here. This was his home town and he had an incredible love for it.

“He was always talking about Liverpool and it was part of him and part of us.

“It’s great because this is the biggest single collection ever shown in the UK and I’m proud we’ve done it in Liverpool.

“The moment I came in and saw the big photo of John, it chokes me.”

She added: “People often ask about my favourite picture and I think it’s the one of John, myself and Sean that he drew in Japan in 1977.

“When I see that picture I think of Sean as a five-year-old, but of course he’s not any more. I don’t think any artist has so much of a sense of humour as John, artists are usually very serious and they like being very serious.

“John was having fun and it’s surprising because he had a terribly difficult childhood with a lot of pain.”

Yoko spent half an hour browsing the exhibition and said she planned to spend a few days in the city and would attend Sir Paul McCartney’s Liverpool Sound concert on Sunday.

She said: “It’s all happening in Liverpool and I’m going to go to all the events over the weekend of course.

“I’d like to have a look at Liverpool One although I think maybe I would have to go at 4am because it’s so busy.”

THE Art of John Lennon is a free festival in the foyer of the Daily Post and Echo building on Old Hall Street.

laurasharpe