Iceland encyclopedia Art

Imagine Peace Tower

Imagine Peace Tower is Yoko Ono’s light installation on Viðey, created in memory of John Lennon and dedicated to peace.

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An illustrated impression of Iceland

Overview

About Imagine Peace Tower

A memorial made of light

The work was unveiled on Viðey in 2007. Its defining form is a column of light rising into the sky, making light itself the main sculptural material. The memorial connects Ono’s long-running peace work with Lennon’s memory. Its island setting places it within Reykjavík’s seascape, while the illuminated beam can give it a presence beyond the physical site.

The structure beneath the beam

At ground level, the installation centres on a cylindrical wishing well surrounded by a platform 17 metres in diameter. The tower was developed through collaboration between Yoko Ono, the City of Reykjavík and Reykjavík Art Museum. The luminous tower is distinct from the permanent structure: illumination follows a programme of commemorative dates, so the work is not continuously lit. The official project website records its lighting programme and the ideas behind the memorial.

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