2025/01/02 by Ya’ara Gil-Glazer · 1 voice
Arts and Humanities · Social Sciences · #Asian American and Pacific Histories #Hong Kong and Taiwan Politics #Music History and Culture
paper · doi:10.1080/27708888.2025.2530385
openalex publication_date 2025/01/02 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/06/15
John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s relationship fused love, peace activism, and art, presenting a model of romantic and social unity that blended personal and political ideologies. This article examines how Lennon and Ono performed, wrote, and sang about intimate and universal love, as well as peace activism, through their joint musical albums, public performances, and iconic photographic representations from 1968 to 1980. Their collaborative works, including the Bed-Ins for Peace, the Wedding Album, and the single “Give Peace a Chance,” reflect an evolving rhetoric – from avant-garde experimentalism to communicative rock and activist anthems. The article also explores how their musical and photographic representations transitioned from self-focused, idealistic celebrations of love to more complex and sobering portrayals of both personal and universal love. Furthermore, the article highlights Ono’s pivotal role as co-creator and activist, a contribution that has often been underappreciated. The cultural and historical significance of their work, particularly in the broader context of their peace activism, is also critically assessed, with attention given to how their artistic legacy has been shaped by their commitment to peace and social change.