John Lennon's Spirit Lives On at the Galleria

The holiday season invites reflection and wishes of peace. For the next three days at the , the public is invited to reflect and wish peace through the work of legendary musician and artist John Lennon.  

The traveling exhibition of Lennon’s art features a collection of limited edition serigraphs, lithographs, copper etchings of drawings and song lyrics. The music of John Lennon, The Beatles and Yoko Ono will provide an auditory backdrop to the show.

As an interactive part of the event, and in the spirit of Lennon’s message of peace, guests will be welcomed to write wishes for peace on decorative cards to be hung on the Wishing Tree at the Galleria. At the close of the event, the cards will be collected to be hand-delivered to Yoko Ono.

Tour manager Rudy Siegel said that in the past Yoko Ono has turned public wishes for peace into artwork by photographing them or displaying them in shadow boxes.

Siegel has been traveling with the artwork of John Lennon for the past decade. The tour has been going for some 20 years. He admitted it's "quite a gig."

"All of us that are involved feel blessed to perpetuate John’s message of peace and love," he said.  

Previous Minnesota stops have included downtown Wayzata and the Chambers Hotel in Minneapolis. Siegel said the location at the Galleria is fitting (“Between the restaurants and the shopping, we’re in good company”), and the Courtyard has a museum-like look.

The tour typically draws two to four thousand guests at each location, and – like the event at the Galleria – each site hosts the tour for just a few short days. With 15 shows a year, Siegel said the show draws all walks of life and all ages, "from strollers to walkers." Sort of like Lennon’s music.

Also like his music, Lennon’s art—largely made up of sketches and self portraits—is accessible, introspective and widely appealing. 

The show in Edina is held just after the 31st anniversary of Lennon’s death. Siegel said he sees people looking for answers from Lennon and The Beatles still today—that perhaps Lennon’s message is more relevant now than ever. 

“The tenor of the events has changed a little bit—and I think in a good way,” Siegel said. “There’s a lot of heavy conversation; it provokes thought.” 

Donations made at the event will benefit Smile Network International, a Minneapolis-based nonprofit working to provide life-altering reconstructive surgeries to children and young people in developing countries.  

In addition to the limited edition artwork, gift items such as John Lennon t-shirts and hats will also be for sale. 

If You Go