Author Description

John Lennon was not only a brilliant musician and the creative driving force at the head of the Fab Four, he was also an artist of many talents who wrote short stories and lyrics, created drawings and photographs, and organized provocative performances and happenings. Though he studied at the Liverpool Art Institute from 1957 to 1960, it was his music that brought him international fame in the 1960's. This publication, long overdue, presents the other, previously unknown side of Lennon's creative output for the first time. John's widow, Yoko Ono, with whom he collaborated artistically after the Beatles' break-up in the 1970's and who has acted as the guardian of his estate since his death in 1980, has now decided to publish his artistic work. Reproduced here, in many cases for the first time, are his drawings and lithographs (including erotic works from the "Bag One" portfolio that was confiscated by the police at its first showing in 1970), his personal Japanese 'dictionary', his photos, his texts (lyrics, prose, songs), his record sleeve designs, first editions of his books, and documentary material on his performances. The book vividly recalls John Lennon as a visual artist. A lavishly illustrated book with a wealth of documentary and biographical material, this is a must-have for John Lennon fans everywhere.