Currently on display at the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, the exhibition Yoko Ono: Music of the Mind showcases over 200 works spanning the artist’s remarkable 70-year career. This extensive retrospective, which runs until February 22, 2026, features a diverse array of pieces, including participatory instruction works, installations, a specially curated music room, films, music, photography, and archival materials. The exhibition highlights Ono’s groundbreaking approach to art and participation, which continues to resonate with contemporary audiences.
The exhibition documents Ono’s career from the mid-1950s, emphasizing her influential role in avant-garde movements in cities like New York, Tokyo, and London. Notably, it delves into the development of her “instruction pieces” and her significant involvement in the formation of Fluxus, the avant-garde art collective founded in New York in the early 1960s.
Exploring Key Works and Collaborations
Among the prominent works featured is “Cut Piece” (1964), recognized as a pivotal moment in performance and feminist art. The exhibition also highlights her collaborations with renowned musicians, including John Cage and her late husband, John Lennon. Visitors can engage with selected activations from her influential book, Grapefruit (1964), and experience her innovative films from the 1960s and 1970s, such as FLY (1970–71) and the controversial Film No.4 (Bottoms) (1966–67). Recent installations, including the ongoing Wish Tree (1996–present), further demonstrate her commitment to art as a medium for peace activism.
Several participatory artworks invite visitor interaction, including “Painting to Hammer a Nail” (1961/1966) and “Bag Piece” (1964). More recent works like “Add Color (Refugee Boat)” (1960/2016) encourage attendees to write their hopes and beliefs on a white boat, while the installation “My Mommy Is Beautiful” (2004) allows the public to reflect on their relationships with mothers through photographs and personal thoughts. Additionally, public activations of Ono’s peace-driven artworks will appear on billboards throughout Chicago and within the MCA.
A Celebration of Ono’s Impact on Art and Activism
Jamillah James, the Manilow Senior Curator, expressed the significance of Ono’s work, stating, “Yoko Ono is a wildly influential and significant figure in performance, conceptualism, music, and activism. She has inspired generations of audiences to think differently about the everyday and seeing art. It is an honor to host this wide-ranging exhibition, which is a critical opportunity that invites the public to deeply engage with Ono’s many important contributions to visual art in new and exciting ways.”
Organized by Tate Modern in collaboration with Kunstsammlung Nordrhein-Westfalen in Düsseldorf, Yoko Ono: Music of the Mind offers an opportunity for both art enthusiasts and the general public to explore the lasting legacy of one of the most influential artists of our time. For additional information about the exhibition, visit mcachicago.org.
