Mural of John Lennon's 'Black Tears' Overlaying the Strait of Hormuz Appears in Gaiemmae, Tokyo
Mural art company OVER ALLs has unveiled its 18th mural, 'IMAGINE,' featuring John Lennon at 'TOKYO Mural Square' in Gaiemmae. The piece depicts black tears shaped like the Strait of Hormuz, illustrating the connection between global geopolitical risks and daily life as 'art as journalism.'
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: April 23, 2026 at 18:00
- 🔍 Collected: April 23, 2026 at 09:31
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 24, 2026 at 04:46 (19h 14m after Collected)
Mural art company OVER ALLs Co., Ltd. (HQ: Minato-ku, Tokyo; CEO: Taketo Akazawa) announced that on April 17 (Friday), they completed a mural featuring John Lennon at 'TOKYO Mural Square' in Aoyama, Tokyo.
For the 18th installment of TOKYO Mural Square, OVER ALLs created a mural with John Lennon as the motif. In the artwork, the tear rolling down his cheek is depicted as a black liquid reminiscent of crude oil, with its outline overlaying the shape of the Strait of Hormuz. Amid daily reports of tensions in the Middle East and their impact on logistics and energy supplies, the piece brings the reality that events in distant regions are interconnected with our daily lives into the everyday scenery of Gaiemmae.
TOKYO Mural Square will continue to depict the social atmosphere of the time through murals from the perspective of 'art as news.'
Comment from CEO Taketo Akazawa:
'Some may say world peace is impossible because even the four members of the Beatles disbanded. But what matters is not whether we can or cannot do it, but whether we want to or not. As artists, we want to continue drawing and singing our desire for love and peace forever.'
Artwork Overview:
Title: 18th Installment 'IMAGINE'
Location: TOKYO Mural Square (Exterior wall of OVER ALLs HQ, 2-26-35 Minami-Aoyama, Minato-ku, Tokyo)
Completion Date: April 17, 2026
About TOKYO Mural Square:
Located in the heart of the Gaiemmae intersection, the wall facing Aoyama-dori at the OVER ALLs HQ building has been turned into a dedicated mural space. It serves as a media outlet like NY's Times Square, where murals featuring topical figures or social issues are layered monthly. Previous murals include President Trump (Nov 2024), Manga Artist Akira Toriyama (Dec 2024), Tamori (Mar 2025), and Shigeo Nagashima (Jul 2025).
Future Schedule:
Next change: Early to mid-May 2026 (subject to change based on news events).
Artists: OVER ALLs (Taketo Akazawa and Yuki Yamamoto).
For the 18th installment of TOKYO Mural Square, OVER ALLs created a mural with John Lennon as the motif. In the artwork, the tear rolling down his cheek is depicted as a black liquid reminiscent of crude oil, with its outline overlaying the shape of the Strait of Hormuz. Amid daily reports of tensions in the Middle East and their impact on logistics and energy supplies, the piece brings the reality that events in distant regions are interconnected with our daily lives into the everyday scenery of Gaiemmae.
TOKYO Mural Square will continue to depict the social atmosphere of the time through murals from the perspective of 'art as news.'
Comment from CEO Taketo Akazawa:
'Some may say world peace is impossible because even the four members of the Beatles disbanded. But what matters is not whether we can or cannot do it, but whether we want to or not. As artists, we want to continue drawing and singing our desire for love and peace forever.'
Artwork Overview:
Title: 18th Installment 'IMAGINE'
Location: TOKYO Mural Square (Exterior wall of OVER ALLs HQ, 2-26-35 Minami-Aoyama, Minato-ku, Tokyo)
Completion Date: April 17, 2026
About TOKYO Mural Square:
Located in the heart of the Gaiemmae intersection, the wall facing Aoyama-dori at the OVER ALLs HQ building has been turned into a dedicated mural space. It serves as a media outlet like NY's Times Square, where murals featuring topical figures or social issues are layered monthly. Previous murals include President Trump (Nov 2024), Manga Artist Akira Toriyama (Dec 2024), Tamori (Mar 2025), and Shigeo Nagashima (Jul 2025).
Future Schedule:
Next change: Early to mid-May 2026 (subject to change based on news events).
Artists: OVER ALLs (Taketo Akazawa and Yuki Yamamoto).