A cut piece

Yoko Ono's Childhood and Influences


Yoko, who was born in Japan in 1933 into a prominent banking family, spent the majority of her childhood moving from one country to another with her father until she was eight years old. As a result, Yoko established deep links between the two nations since she was a little child ("Yoko Ono Biography and Analysis of Works"). They lost a lot in Japan as a result of the war that broke out between Japan and America while she was a student at a private school in Tokyo, including the death of her father, who passed away in prison. Later on, her family relocated to the U.S. whereby she managed to join Sarah Lawrence College in which she managed to discover the New York art scene. In this paper, Ono initial work "Cut Piece" performed in the mid-1960s is going to be analyzed concerning how the Japanese and American cultures affected her art with the performance being compared and contrasted to the 20th Century performance.

The Influence of Living in a War-Torn Nation


Living in a war-torn nation made her incorporate positivity and peace messages in her art. While living with her parents in Tokyo, Ono grew up living with her mother who was strict in her upbringing and limited her freedom of associating with friends whereby at times she rang the maid to see a pal. Her mother always complained of her children limiting her from enjoying the rich social life of Tokyo; hence, at some point advised Ono from getting married in the future and having children. However, after moving to America whereby Ono was able to be influenced by the American culture of freedom, she marries her first husband despite her mother’s disapproval. It is this freedom that she gains, which makes her empowered to implore her artistic ego in her art Cut Piece.

An Analysis of "Cut Piece"


In her work "Cut Piece" that was performed at the Sogetsu Center in July 1964, Ono wore her best suit and knelt in the middle of the stage while holding in her hand scissors. Ono welcomes the audience members to cut off her suit into pieces using the scissors. She remains still and does not speak a single word until she was down to only her underwear ("Youtube"). Ono’s Cut Piece was most influenced by the Japanese culture of Buddhist mentality whereby a Buddha, a wealthy prince, managed to achieve enlightenment after giving up all his possession and sat under a tree for seven years ("Yoko Ono Biography and Analysis of Works"). Within this context, women should give up everything in support for a better cause.

The Revised "Cut Piece" in the 20th Century


In her mid-1960’s work, Ono discussed her art in numerous ways that she characterizes it as her commitment test in life as an upcoming artist, as a spiritual act, as a gift, and as a face up to her ego in arts. However, after directing the same piece over the years at the age of seventy in September 2003 in France, Ranelagh Theatre in Paris, Ono reenacted the "Cut Piece" again. A person would argue that she did it just for reproduction and survival of her art; however, she differs with many people opinions since she did it to express her hope "for world peace" following the political changes and 9/11. This comes four decades later after her initial live performance, nonetheless, this time Ono declares that she performed the piece again against violence, sexism, racism, and ageism. Even though neither Yoko Ono nor her critics placed "Cut Piece" as a feminist type of work during the period that it was initially performed, Ono had undoubtedly incorporated the consequent interpretations of feminist ideologies of her work into the revised Cut Piece in the 20th Century.

Conclusion


Yoko Ono Cut Piece remains to be one of her greatest artwork. Art has been seen a form of entertainment; however, in her work, she portrays art in relaying her messages that preach against ageism, sexism, racism, and violence. Despite her critics trying to pull her artwork as not being a legacy, Ono’s instructional paintings and artworks during the 1960s especially the great "Cut Piece" will forever be known as the critical incident that changed the relationship between the today’s audience and the artists.


Works Cited

“Youtube.” Youtube.Com, 2017, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Sc47KfJjcl. Accessed 13 June 2017.

“Yoko Ono Biography, Art, and Analysis of Works.” The Art Story, 2017, http://www.theartstory.org/artist-ono-yoko-artworks.htm#pnt_3. Accessed 13 June 2017.

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