"My paintings, which are all instruction paintings (and meant for others to do), come after collage and assemblage (1915) and happening (1950) came into the art world. Considering the nature of my painting, any of the above three words or a new word can be used instead of the word painting. But I like the old word painting because it immediately connects with “wall painting” painting, and it is nice and funny."-Yoko Ono It was in 1966 at the Indica Gallery in London that Yoko Ono first met her future husband John Lennon, and later that year, she presented him with a copy of her book of instruction pieces, Grapefruit. Years afterward, Lennon cited the powerful effect the book had on him, inspiring him to write his lyrical masterpiece and hymn to peace “Imagine.” The Berkeley Art Museum is delighted to present an exhibition of Yoko Ono's instruction paintings selected from that groundbreaking publication. Gracefully expressive, enchanting, and original, the paintings are presented as wall texts that fill the gallery in the same way that paintings on canvas do. However, the conceptual nature of the art offers the beholder a means of taking the paintings home in the form of a do-it-yourself idea. In the spirit of imagination, and as a kind of homage, we have included among the instruction paintings on view all those in which the word “imagine” appears, including spring 1963's Cloud Piece (“Imagine the clouds dripping. Dig a hole in your garden to put them in”), which also appears on Lennon's Imagine album sleeve. In addition to the instruction paintings, a few ephemeral works from the museum's collection, such as an edition of Grapefruit and a brochure from the exhibition Yoko at Indica, will be shown, as will a copy of Lennon's Imagine LP. Sparingly interspersed among the instruction paintings, like puffy clouds in a clear sky, will be a few watercolors-images of sky-by Ono's fellow Fluxus artist Geoffrey Hendricks. Born in Japan in 1933, Ono, a pioneer of Conceptual art, has lived her life combining her talents as artist and poet, musician, and tireless advocate for peace and love. Grapefruit was originally published in Japan in 1964 in an edition of 500 copies. It has since been reprinted in many languages and editions. Yoko Ono has generously donated IMAGINE PEACE buttons to be distributed free to viewers throughout the course of the exhibition. Special thanks for her support of the exhibition, and for permission to reproduce the texts in this fashion. In January and February, the exhibition is complemented by a PFA series, Yoko Ono: Imagine Film.
