The Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago (MCA Chicago) has launched a significant retrospective titled Yoko Ono: Music of the Mind, showcasing over 200 works from the celebrated artist’s prolific 70-year career. This exhibition, on display until February 22, 2026, highlights Ono’s pioneering contributions to art, music, and activism, inviting visitors to engage with her innovative approach to participation and expression.
Music of the Mind chronicles Ono’s artistic journey, beginning in the mid-1950s. It delves into her influential presence within avant-garde movements in cities such as New York, Tokyo, and London. Notably, it examines her role in the development of “instruction pieces” and her involvement with Fluxus, the avant-garde art collective that emerged in New York during the early 1960s.
The exhibition features a rich array of key works from Ono’s extensive portfolio. Among the highlights is her groundbreaking performance piece, “Cut Piece” (1964), which has become a landmark in feminist and performance art. The retrospective also showcases her collaborations with renowned musicians, including John Cage and Ornette Coleman, as well as her late husband, John Lennon. Selected activations from her influential book, Grapefruit (1964), further illustrate her commitment to interactive art.
Visitors can engage with several participatory artworks, such as “Painting to Hammer a Nail” (1961/1966) and “Bag Piece” (1964). Later installations, like “Add Color (Refugee Boat)” (1960/2016), invite participants to express their hopes and beliefs, while “My Mommy Is Beautiful” (2004) encourages reflections on motherhood through personal photographs and thoughts.
In a statement, Jamillah James, Manilow Senior Curator at MCA Chicago, praised Ono’s influence: “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 see art. It is an honor to host this wide-ranging exhibition, which invites the public to deeply engage with Ono’s many important contributions to visual art.”
Additionally, the exhibition will feature public activations of Ono’s peace-driven artworks on billboards throughout Chicago, enhancing the artist’s commitment to activism and community engagement.
Organized by Tate Modern in collaboration with Kunstsammlung Nordrhein-Westfalen in Düsseldorf, Yoko Ono: Music of the Mind stands as a critical opportunity for audiences to explore Ono’s multifaceted legacy. For more information about the exhibition, visit the MCA Chicago website at mcachicago.org.