Judy (Judith Darragh, my handshake mentor), has suggested I take a look at a series of performance Artists who deal with the body and a piece that I find meaningful. I am starting with the incredible Yoko Ono.
Ono’s work often questioned the division between art and the everyday. She fought against her own perfectionism by creating works and asking viewers finish it in their own way. I have chosen Cut Piece (1964) as a powerful example of performance art. For Cut Piece, Ono sat in the centre of the stage, wearing one of her best suits and invited audience members to cut pieces of her clothing off to keep, continuing until she was left in her underwear. I find Ono’s composure during the entire performance arresting. Considered one of the first examples of Performance Art, Cut Piece has had a lasting impact asking us to reconsider the boundaries of art, participation, and personal agency.
You can watch the performance here.
Source, Yoko Ono, https://www.moma.org/artists/4410 accesses 5/6/2024.