The art piece that ‘started’ John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s relationship

Fans of The Beatles appear to have found the art exhibit that “started” John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s relationship.

A preview night for Ono’s exhibit in Soho, London, marked the meeting point between the two, with Lennon in attendance after hearing of “a bit of a happening,” according to fans of the band. According to Paul McCartney, the exhibition had been a way of attracting musicians in the UK to contribute to a book Ono was making as a birthday present for avant-garde artist, John Cage. Her exhibition at the INDICA on November 7, 1966, is believed to mark the first time Lennon and Ono ever met.

While Lennon’s recollection of events leaves out the making of Cage’s book, Notations, which features The Words from the Fab Four, he did provide similar circumstances to his and Ono’s first meeting. Lennon is believed to have been a fan of Ono’s work before the pair met, with The Beatles member liking the humour of her exhibit, Apple. The Ceiling Painting/Yes Painting exhibit is said to have pushed Lennon into pursuing Ono as he felt “relieved” by its message.

Those at the exhibit were asked to climb a ladder and, using a magnifying glass which was dangling from the board hanging from the ceiling, could read what was printed. It says “yes”. Lennon says he “climbed the ladder, looked through the spyglass, and in tiny little letters it said ‘yes’…So it was positive. I felt relieved.”

Ono, who spoke to art critic Jonathan Ross in 2014 about the piece, said it reflected the pain of a breakup after a recent relationship. She also said Lennon “had to climb up very high” to read the printed message. Fans of the band have since suggested you could “change the course of history” had the printed message not been “yes”.

They wrote: “You could change the course of history just by changing the Yes to a No.” Others who have seen Ono’s work were left with a new understanding of her “groundbreaking” art. They wrote: “Saw the Retrospective of her life’s work at the Tate Modern last summer. Groundbreaking art that made me see why John was so taken with her.”

The art piece that basically started John and Yoko’s relationship
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Another added: “I feel like a lot of people who dislike and/or don’t understand why John liked Yoko haven’t actually taken the time to listen or look at her art. It’s very profound.” A third wrote: “It’s not the worst. What I have seen from her has got legitimate thought and generally executed in a cohesive and poignant way. My favorite is Game of Trust, really fun concept.”