By Steve Marinucci
Published Feb. 12, 1998, San Jose (CA) Mercury News
YOKO ONO, the artist and performer who remains best known as John Lennon's widow, spoke by telephone about Lennon's life and art, and other matters, on the eve of a brief visit (today through Sunday) to Westgate Shopping Center by graphics from his Bag One Portfolio, a traveling show from the collection of the Museum of Modern Art in New York.
She spoke from her apartment at the Dakota in New York and will not be in San Jose with the collehad a sense of humor. He wanted to kind of make it a fun thing to learn Japanese. I think it's really working. They can read that book (''Ai: Japan Thru John Lennon's Eyes'') . . . they can learn Japanese words just by having fun and looking at his drawings and all that. So, he was always thinking about those things, you know . . . how to make things fun and easy for people.
Q
I'm told that the exhibit is different than when it was here a couple of years ago.
A
I think this one is very different.
Q
How does the exhibit evolve over time? How does it change?
A
Well, this year there's a special thing about John's handwriting. I think that's very, very special. I come from a culture where calligraphy is art. But also, in the Western culture, too, handwriting analysis and all that is a very scientific thing. It's not hocus-pocus. And so, in that sense, a lot of people can analyze from his writing what kind of mood he wa Well, that's very important, you see. And especially, the erotic ones that John did. Some galleries prefer to show it in the back room. Some galleries would like to put it in the show window.
Q
Well, in this particular case, it's in a shopping center, and I suspect it'll probably be out in the open where everybody can see it.
A
Uh huh, uh huh. You mean the erotic ones? . . . I see.
Q
About the colorizing of the drawings . . . Some people would say this is, well, this is like Ted Turner coloring movies.
A
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Q
I'm gonna let you --
A
No, no, no, you're right to say that. I was, you know . . . first thing that happened was when this program was set up, I did ask professionals to come in . . . because, you know, I don't know how to set up these things, I don't know how to get in touch with galleries and all that stuff. So then they came with John's drawingThat's interesting.'' Then I realized it's like records. They say, ''Well, the record shop is not gonna put it in the window because they don't like the cover'' or something. It's as simple as that. . . . So I said, ''OK, at least let me color it because John wouldn't have minded if I did it.'' . . . It's like the color was exploding, and I . . . wanted it in a way it would enhance John's drawings, if anything, but, like, quietly. . . . Now some people would still not think it's a good idea, but as Ted Turner would say, ''The black and white is still there in the story.'' . . . It's interesting, that yes, many people do like the colored ones, you know?
Q
You going to keep showing these things as long as people want to see them?
A
I don't want to scratch the bottom of the barrel-type of thing. I just want to do it until it's OK. I have to feel it out. And one day, when it's not OK, I'll say, ''Listen, this is the end of this program. . . .
Some (of the younger) generation really don't know about John. And they walk in and they like this and then they think, ''OK, well, why don't I listen to his record as well?''
Q
I know that there's a ''Lennon Legend: The Very Best of John Lennon'' CD coming out here. . . .
A
(laughs) Yes!
Q
Feb. 24. It's already out in Europe. In fact, I have an import copy. [The American release will be on Capitol.] And all the people I know that have heard it say the sound is wonderful. How much input did you have on that? . . . You chose all the tracks and everything, right?
A
No, no. They chose some tracks, the record company, and . . . it was a dialogue, let's put it that way.
Q
OK. That begs the question that a lot of people would kill me if I didn't ask you.
A
Yeah, what?
Q
There's been a rumor of a box from ''The Lost Lennon Tapes'' radio series.
A
Yes! It's not just gonna be ''Lost Lennon Tapes.'' I mean, when you say ''Lost Lennon Tapes,'' you're talking about the Westwood One program. But it's not just (the) Westwood One program. It's a kind of collection of stuff that is lying around there that's kind of here and there that's important to share with you. The goal is maybe this autumn . . . I hope it's this autumn, butmaybe it would be next spring. Who knows?
Q
How about Sean? I hear Sean's got a new album coming out [called ''Photosynthesis'']. Are you giving him any guidance?
A
(Laughs) I'm not giving any guidance, OK? I mean, you know, mothers are not supposed to give guidance, right? Anyway, so he's doing his own thing.
Q
There was a recent interview in a British magazine called Uncut where you said thought John would have loved the Internet. Have you seen any of the Beatles or John Lennon Web sites?
A
No.
Q
Are you interested in that at all?
A
Well, I'm not that interested. I'm a very busy person. And what happened one day was that they kept saying, ''You should look into Onoweb, you should look into Onoweb.'' [http://www.cam.org/~rjoly/yoko/onoweb.html is a fan Web site.] So one night, I did look into it. And when I finished, it was dawn. And I said, I'm not doing this, you know. (Laughing) I don't want to be one of those people who gets obsessed with it. And I'm a very obsessive type. . . . That's not to put it down, you know.
Q
There's supposed to be an upcoming movie about you and John.
A
Yeah, you know, that, too. I think it's interesting because, no, I don't have a contract with any company at this point, etc., but I might do it. And I did have a talk with some people because some people were interested. But, you know, just because I had a talk with some company or whatever, it seems like the world is up in arms about it. ''Aw, she's gonna tell her side of the story,'' and for the Beatle fans, this is the most terrible thing that's happening.
And I think, ''This is really interesting, you know. You mean they can only endure me if I don't say a word? Is this a kind of typical racism, chauvinism situation?'' And so, my rebellious spirit is really sort of perking up and sort of saying, ''Maybe I should do a film. Maybe I should do it, then.''
Q
For the record, are you and Paul getting along OK?
A
Well, we go off and on, shall we say. But, he called me to say ''Happy New Year'' or something like that two or three days ago. It's not so bad. And we -- all of us -- exchange Christmas gifts and things like that.
Q
Last question. Do you think that in the years since you and John first sang ''Give Peace a Chance'' that the world has done exactly that?
A
Well, we still have a long way to go, I think. Still some people are being killed and a lot of weapons are sold and all that, you know. And it's a very lucrative business. It's very sad that business comes first before human life and destruction. But I think that the world is changing, though. And gradually. It's too slow. . . . It's too slow. I think it will change eventually. It will become a world eventually, the world that we're dreaming of.
Q
OK.
A
And then John will come out and say, ''I told you so!''
