Imagine Exhibition - Montreal Museum of Fine Arts

In 1969, John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s famous Bed-in, held in Suite 1742 of Montreal’s Queen Elizabeth Hotel, made headlines around the world. Forty years later, from April 2 to June 21, 2009, the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts celebrated this legendary event with Imagine: The Peace Ballad of John & Yoko, organized in collaboration with Yoko Ono. Rekindling the philosophy behind John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s commitment for today’s world, this comprehensive exhibition provided a picture of the historical and political context in 1969 that formed the backdrop to the Bed-in. The 140 works on displayed included drawings, unpublished photographs, videos, films, artworks and interactive materials that conveyed the famous couple’s message of universal peace. Furthermore, visitors were able to play “Imagine” on a white piano with a Disklavier sound system, write down their wishes and tie them to Yoko Ono’s Wish Tree, stamp “Imagine Peace” on maps of the world, and read the works of certain Nobel Peace Prize winners in the Peace Library.