Yoko Ono; John Lennon

1 portrait of John Lennon

© Camera Press / Tom Blau

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Yoko Ono; John Lennon

by Tom Blau
modern bromide print from original negative, November 1969
6 3/4 in. x 10 3/8 in. (171 mm x 265 mm) image size
Given by Camera Press: London: UK, 2007
Photographs Collection
NPG x131956

Sittersback to top

  • John Lennon (1940-1980), Musician; co-founder and singer for The Beatles. Sitter in 90 portraits, Artist or producer of 2 portraits.
  • Yoko Ono (1933-), Artist, musician and activist; second wife of John Lennon. Sitter in 14 portraits.

Artistback to top

  • Tom Blau (1912-1984), Photographer. Artist or producer associated with 82 portraits.

This portraitback to top

Lennon first met Onoafter the Beatles's final tour in 1966 at her exhibition at the Indica Gallery, London. Their wedding in Gibraltar in 1969 was followed by a 'Bed-In' for peace in Amsterdam. On a second 'Bed-In' in Montreal they recorded the song Give Peace a Chance. As a couple they promoted peace, feminism and racial harmony, introducing the idea of 'Bagism' against prejudice in 1969. Ono was present at the recording of the Beatles last album, Abbey Road, in January 1969 and the band released The Ballard of John and Yoko that year. Their son, Sean Ono Lennon was born in 1975.

Linked publicationsback to top

Placesback to top

Linked displays and exhibitionsback to top

Events of 1969back to top

Current affairs

The Open University is established, based on the vision of Michael Young. Its aims were to offer the chance to study for higher education qualifications on a part time and distance learning basis, giving people who were unable to attend a traditional university because of family, work commitments or disability the opportunity to achieve university degrees.

Art and science

The comedy sketch show Monty Python's Flying Circus is first broadcast. The Pythons performed surreal sketches that reinvented the comedy tradition, eschewing punch lines for a stream-of-consciousness structure and incongruous authorial interventions: 'and now for something completely different'.
Kenneth Tynan's Oh! Calcutta amuses and shocks audiences with full nudity on stage, taking advantage of the recent end to censorship laws.

International

Neil Armstrong takes 'one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind' when he becomes the first man on the moon.
Concorde makes its first supersonic flight. The plane was designed, developed and manufactured by a joint treaty between the French and English governments.

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