The John Lennon: The New York City Years exhibition was the first serious museological look at the 10 years Lennon spent in New York City prior to his murder in 1980. It celebrated him as a musician, political activist, visual artist, husband and father. The curatorial expertise provided by the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland and the personal involvement of Yoko Ono allowed the project to address issues and include artifacts that were emblematic of Lennon’s political concerns and how those concerns affected his music and visual art during this last period of his life.

The exhibition was installed in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Annex in downtown New York City. In a stencil typeface referencing the ad hoc street typography of New York City, a word cloud with titles of the songs Lennon wrote during his final years in the city fills the exhibition’s entry wall. The “all-white” treatment of walls, casework, seating, exhibit and flooring—in conjunction with “blue halos” around the media projection walls—was intended to create a contemplative viewing experience for visitors. Eight artifact cases and a wall of integrated artifacts and images included clothing, collages, handwritten lyrics and drawings. The exhibition concluded with a respectful treatment of Lennon’s assassination and a plea for more rigorous handgun control.

From John Lennon’s wire glasses at the exhibit entrance to the photography and lyrics, all were displayed powerfully against a white canvas.