BOOK:Growing Freedom, Phi Foundation for Contemporary Art

Inspired by the spirit of the pocketbook, this publication features installation views from the exhibition “Growing Freedom: The Instructions of Yoko Ono and the Art of John and Yoko”  (24/4-15/9/19) at the Phi Foundation for Contemporary Art, also some never before published photos, and essays by Gunnar B. Kvaran and Cheryl Sim, Caroline Andrieux, Naoko Seki, and a foreword by Monika Kin Gagnon. Taking place in both of the Fondation’s buildings, the first part “The instructions of Yoko Ono” focused on her “Instruction” works that emphasize the role of the visitor in their completion. Among works were the text–based instructions such as “Lighting Piece” (1955), as well as participatory works including “Mending Piece” (1966), “Horizontal Memories” (1997), and “Arising”(2013). The second part of the exhibition “The art of John and Yoko” presented the arc of collaborative art projects for peace undertaken by Yoko Ono and John Lennon. Among these are the “Acorn project”, “The War is Over peace campaign”, and the “Montreal bed-in. Through an approach that spotlighted storytelling, this part of the exhibition featured a variety of stories from people who participated in the bed-in, told in their own voices and words.-Efi Michalarou