A l’occasion du vernissage de l’exposition « The Artwork of John Lennon : in my life » qui aura lieu ce week-end à Palm Springs, Yoko Ono a accordé par téléphone, une interview au journal local, The Desert Sun, que nous vous retranscrivons ci-après.
Q: I understand the exhibit is a collection of free drawing, caricature and illustrations. Did John have a favorite media to work in, or subject matter?
YOKO: Well, he was very, very interested and very quick in just drawing things with pencil, or ink, pen and ink, or Oriental brush.
Q: Was he inspired by any artists?
YOKO: He did seem very much like George Gross kind of thing. But I don?t think that he knew what George Gross was doing. I mean, John had his own thing you know. And what he did on his own was very unique and interesting.
Q: I know that starting in the late ?60s, you and John had numerous showings of art works. Then a little later on, he was — publicly anyway — concentrating more on recording — although at home he continued to create art.
Q: Had John ever talked about perhaps mounting his own or a joint art exhibition with you for the future?
YOKO: It would have been so nice, but both of us were so ostracized, separately and together, so there was no chance. I mean can you imagine in those days, if we did a show of John?s artwork and Yoko?s artwork, they?d be throwing stones at the gallery.
Q: Are there some timeless messages in John?s artwork that we can apply to today?s world and peace?
YOKO: Well, John was a genius, and he was drawing like that when he was nine years old, you know. So it?s a totally different class of things. I mean, I can?t even do… I can?t draw like John draws, or like John did draw. And so you know he was just a one and only kind of person.
Q: Now along with an obviously very brutal honesty, you see a lot of humor and whimsy in John?s work, like maybe « don?t take things too seriously. » Did that reflect in his everyday life also?
YOKO: Mostly. Though of course, he was a very serious person, too, but I think there is a just certain balance of that and being versatile as well. John was just totally versatile and was not a shallow person. He was very deep as well. And deep, but also you know, a little bit tongue and cheek you know. But he was so sweet, and there was something about his art, that was so nice about it.
Q: I know you?re a longtime supporter of AIDS causes, and the money from this exhibit will go to the Desert AIDS Project. Is there a special reason the cause is so close to your heart?
YOKO: I always make sure that whenever we do a show in any city or town that the owner has to recommend a charity because they know better than me about that.
I?ve always have a special interest in helping the AIDS people.
Q: Yoko, you seem to always stay so young and trendy ? it?s almost unbelievable you?re going to turn 70 next month. What is your secret?
YOKO: Thank you! Well, I don?t know what it is. I was just busy, and didn?t have time to think about anything. I wasn?t counting my years, let?s put it that way. I didn?t have the time to. Now they tell me I?m going to be whatever, and I?m surprised. I said, what? Me?
Q: Do you work out a lot, or do you have a special diet, or meditate?
YOKO: I?m always moving my body because I?m always busy. So even in the house I?m active because I?m running from one room to another all the time. And then I take walks a lot. For instance, I live around 72nd Street, and I will go from here to Soho or something. So that kind of thing helps, I think.
