Beautiful Portraits Of John Lennon And Yoko Ono On Vintage Maps
Ed Fairburn’s bio reads, “Drawing people with places since 2012”. True to this little blurb, this artist has developed a unique style where he digitally draws portraits of people on high-resolution scans of historical Ordnance Survey maps using a crosshatching technique.
Recently, Fairburn was commissioned by the Lennon Estate* to create a super deluxe box set for the re-release of Grammy-nominated ‘Mind Games – The Ultimate Collection’. The box set has been described as “a time capsule into John and Yoko’s world around the writing and recording of Mind Games, including the times leading up to and after its release in 1973”. For this special project, the talented artist created stunning portraits of John Lennon and Yoko Ono superimposed upon vintage maps of Liverpool and Tokyo, respectively.
More info: Instagram | EdFairburn.Com
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During the course of his career, Fairburn had been developing his craft for over 12 years, when he was chosen to represent ‘Mind Games’, which he considers his most triumphant achievement. The new box set is a comprehensive collection of John Lennon’s 1973 album, offering an immersive listening experience. The set includes Fairburn’s portraits of Lennon and Yoko Ono along with six different CD mixes, a hardback book, a reproduction of the original 1973 triptych marketing poster, and postcards, among other memorabilia. The design received a 2025 Grammy nomination for Best Boxed or Special Limited Edition Packaging. Reflecting on the project, Fairburn noted in an Instagram post, “Looking back on the last 12 years—my career as an artist—this project really stands out for me.”
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*Released on January 28, 2025, the Mind Games box retails for $167.98. Meanwhile, the posters by Ed Fairburn are available for separate purchase from the John Lennon Store.
Got wisdom to pour?
Ed Fairburn masterfully blends portraiture with cartography, creating striking images of John Lennon and Yoko Ono on historical Liverpool and Tokyo maps for a special ‘Mind Games’ box set. This reminds me of navigating complex landscapes in Slope Game, where precision and strategic maneuvering are key. Fairburn’s art evokes a similar feeling of skillful navigation through intricate details. https://slopegamerun.com/