Montréal gets in bed with John and Yoko

John and Yoko’s infamous Bed-in protest of 1969 in the Canadian city, Montréal will celebrate its 40th anniversary on 26th May.

Rekindling the famous couple’s message of peace that formed the backdrop to this legendary event, which took place at Montréal’s Queen Elizabeth Hotel, the Montréal Museum of Fine Arts has re-created the scenes in a unique exhibition, exclusive to the city.

Exhibiting 140 works of memorabilia at ‘Imagine: The Peace Ballad of John & Yoko’, organised in collaboration with Yoko Ono, the show celebrates the Bed-in, which saw the devoted duo compose and record the song ‘Give Peace a Chance’.

The exhibit appropriately includes a section dedicated to this light-hearted stunt, which was the second Bed-in the couple carried out – the first being conceived in Amsterdam, Holland two months earlier. Featuring the song’s handwritten lyrics, the reel-to-reel tape on which it was recorded, Lennon’s Gibson guitar and a replica of the bed from which they held court 40 years ago in Montréal - the show is a work of art in itself and one not to be missed.

Other works on display include drawings, unpublished photographs, videos, films, artworks and interactive materials that convey the couple’s message of peace. In every section of the exhibit, the sounds of music, conversation, interviews and avant-garde recordings can also be heard providing a soundtrack and insight into the couple’s lives.

Admission to this comprehensive exhibition is free and allows audiences to understand and be moved by the still-topical subject. Even the Société de Transport de Montréal is in on the act, broadcasting a message of hope from Yoko Ono throughout their metro system.

For further information on Montréal and the Imagine Exhibition visit the Tourisme Montréal website - tourisme-montréal.org.

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