HEAVY MUSIC HISTORY: John Lennon’s Bag One Exhibition

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Art showcasing and exploring the human body is nothing new. Hypothetically, if an art exhibition held in the 2020s featured imagery of the human body, drawn by a known musician was showcased, it wouldn’t cause public uproar, except for maybe some objections from certain conservative groups. However, in the 1970s, even after the Sexual Revolution, mindsets were still concerned with public decency vs art, especially within music. People became more and more expressive with their bodies, their lives, and particularly their relationships, thus people like musicians want to share it in their art. So when one such artist, especially with a notable name, wants to exhibit their work, an arrest for their work would be seen as ridiculous, right? Right?

JOHN LENNON made his name as a member of THE BEATLES, one of the biggest bands in the world. By January 1970, tensions were heightened within the band, especially after Lennon had told a journalist in Denmark that they “aren’t breaking up, but we’re breaking its image,” even though he left the band back in September 1969. Not only was he expressive in his music, but he also had a habit of doodling and drawing whenever he could, having attended art school and met his wife, YOKO ONO, at an art exhibition and even funded her exhibitions. Art would be a constant presence until his untimely death in 1980, something he would continue to create and exhibit across the world, particularly in London and New York. Lennon married Ono in March 1969 in Gibraltar and honeymooned in Amsterdam, holding a bed-in protest within the Hilton hotel there. In that time, Lennon created a lot of lithographs that depicted him and his new wife, both sweet and erotic. Known as “Bag One”, the collection was set to be exhibited in Eugene Schuster‘s London Arts Gallery for two weeks, with a limited edition of 300, containing 14 artworks and each lithograph was signed by Lennon, with the portfolio went on sale for £550, and individual prints priced at £40 each. Instead, on 16th January 1970, a day after the “Bag One” exhibition opened, it was raided by police, where they confiscated 8 of the 14 images on display, despite 50 sets and 20 individual prints already sold by that time. Lennon was prosecuted on grounds of indecency, but the trial was dismissed after three weeks. But, why? Wouldn’t this be considered art? Has much changed from this day 55 years ago, especially with how rock and metal depict the human body in its art? 

Unfortunately, expression of the human body in art and music is still seen as divisive, with many albums that depict it on the cover, or music videos, were either seen as “controversial” or even censored for inappropriate nature. In the majority of the cases, these albums depicted women sexually or seductively that toed the line between sexist and sexy. Some album covers, like THE STROKES’ Is This It? (2001), depicting a leather glove over a woman’s naked bum, and BIFFY CLYRO’sThe Vertigo of Bliss (2003), depicting a woman pleasuring herself with a pleased look on her face, could be viewed artistically. Others, like FOREIGNER’s Head Games (1979), depict a young woman looking shocked and scared in the men’s bathroom. This cover was criticised by many as tasteless and that it looked like the woman was about to be assaulted. Music videos, like NINE INCH NAILS’ Closer can also be seen in that artistic perspective, despite the different and shocking shots, whilst RAMMSTEIN’s Pussy was just hardcore porn throughout the video, with the members as different pornographic stereotypes, actually performing sexual intercourse alongside the song. 

In either of these mediums, the mantra of “sex sells” applied to all of these examples and more across rock and metal, and the depiction of the human form, especially the female form, was still utilised within the genre. However, whether it’s considered art or indecent displays is up to the subjective eye of the beholder. If the Bag One exhibition was put on this day and age, it wouldn’t draw as large of an outrage as it did 55 years ago, considering what the modern audience has been exposed to in the art and music consumed this day. If anything, it would be incredible to see Bag One exhibited again for the modern music and art lover, obviously for the appropriate demographic. But even so, knowing Lennon’s work, it would be worth for the people of today to view a piece of history from a iconic musician of the 20th century.

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