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From: HirakeMike
To: rjoly@cam.org
Subject: FINALLY! Tate Lecture Report!
On Wednesday September 15th, Yoko Ono arrived at the Tate Britain in London to present a Lecture/Performance entitled "Whisper Piece". This event was to be presented in conjunction with Tate's current exhibition, Art and the 60's. It was widely speculated beforehand by the press exactly what would occur during the performance, and many news reports stated that Yoko would recreate "Cut Piece". This was not true however, much to the chagrin of a woman in line next to me who had even brought her own scissors.
Upon entering the museum, we were given a small flashlight, and postcard, both related to Yoko's newest interactive piece "Onochord". Yoko's lecture was held in Room 9, which is average in size, with dark red walls amassed with a collection of paintings depicting war scenes. Many of us were puzzled over this choice in space, as it seems ironic that Yoko would be surrounded by soldiers in battle. The presenter however, clarified this a bit in her opening statement. Also, as other who attended can attest, the seating arrangement was quite frustrating, as those who sat near the stage were subjected to the terror of the hardwood floors.
Once the lecture began, the presenter arrived, stressing that no photography was allowed. She explained the significance of Yoko's contribution to the "Destruction in Art Symposium", as well as the gallery itself which the lecture was presented in. After much applause, Yoko arrived, charmingly speaking into the microphone, "Whatever she said about me is not true". Yoko then proceeded to "see her relationship with a chair, and what relationship she has with it". She began to test different positions of what she has stated before of finding her "comfort zone", while sitting on the chair, laying backside beneath the chair, lying stomach first on the seat, and stretching over the back of it. While "Chair Piece" was exhibited, a recording of Yoko's voice was played which seemed like diary entry. Here is what was played from what I can remember:
"Just being busy, is starting to look a bit silly to me. My son is the studio making beautiful music, and I am hopping around the world, doing my thing. Both of us seem to be leading active lives, by making reflex motions, of what we have known, as life. Would we be doing the same thing in Berlin, performing and making music? The speed of the movement is accelerating. Are we getting a bit frightened, maybe. We used to criticize the wilderness. How could you, it's your home, and anyway, where is it. This time, we don't even have America to run to."
After this piece was played, Yoko ended chair piece, moved to the middle of the stage, and started to breathe heavily into her microphone, pausing only briefly to put a small black hood over her head. Moments later, "I Want You To Remember Me" from her album "Blueprint for the Sunrise" was played. She began her powerful modulations in sync with the horror and desperation of the woman in the song played in the backround. Yoko's characterization of this performance was absolutely haunting. The image of Yoko, clad in black hood, coupled with only a voice of pain, was striking to me, especially with it's correlation of recent events in Iraq. Once the song began it's second part, Yoko tore the hood off hear head and jammed with the backing track, energetically crossing the stage, and theatrically breathing. I found this part of the lecture extremely moving.
Once the song ended, Yoko invited Michael Archer to the stage, a writer for ArtForum. Mr. Archer began to analyze Yoko's work in a very dry manner (material physical presence of the chair, the chair could be burned, but would still exist in mind). While he spoke, Yoko measured his arms and legs, and whispered jokingly into her microphone, causing Archer to blush! As he continued his analysis of her work, Yoko asked if they could switch chairs. Interrupting him, again, Yoko explained her "Onochord" piece, with a very large flashlight. As she was exhibiting, Archer took his flashlight, and said "She has a bigger torch than I do"; Yoko responded, "No, that's the real thing". Immediately, the audience began their interaction with Yoko, by flashing the Onochord instruction to her. "Thank you, I feel very loved!" said Yoko. She continued, "Please take this home, and do it to your brothers, sisters, wives, anybody. Because I feel, we are in so much confusion and anger, and it's nice to have a moment when we think of love".
What ensued afterwards was a very lengthy Q&A session, with a variety of questions which have been asked before. Since there were so many questions asked, I feel it important to stress my reflection of the generality Yoko exhibited, rather than answers she gave. She was not interested in questions regarding the past, only the future. She felt it important to keep moving on, rather than linger on the past, where change cannot be accomplished. Yoko spoke of the idea of "feeling without a home/absolute freedom", peace industry versus war industry, and the individual power within each person.
Once the lecture ended, a giant white vase was carried onto the stage, and next to it, a purple shroud with hundreds of pieces of what was that same vase. The audience was instructed to take a shard, and in ten years, meet up and put the vase back together again.
£15 (£10 concessions), booking required. Seating will be on the floor with a few stools available
Price includes exhibition entry
Yoko Ono is widely considered to be one of the most challenging artists of our age. She has created revolutionary forms of music, performance, film and visual arts since the 1960s, when she emerged as an original voice in New York, London and Paris. Her use of concepts, language and participation heralded themes central to the Fluxus movement and Conceptual Art, and her event and sound pieces laid the groundwork for major developments in music and performance art. She will create a unique evening of performance and lecture, re-examining work performed in London in the 1960s
Dear Delegate
Please find enclosed the programme for the Yoko Ono performance on Wednesday 15 September at Tate Britain. The performance will take place in Gallery 9. To ensure full capacity we have opted for an informal seating arrangement inviting guests to sit on the floor. You may bring cushions and there will be limited seating for Visitors with special needs. After the performance, the Art andthe 60s.- This Was Tomorrow exhibition will be open and there will be the opportunity to purchase a drink or Visit the Tate bookshop.
Yoko Ono is widely considered to be one of the most challenging and influential artists of our age. She has created revolutionary forms of music, performance, film and visual arts ever since the 1960s, when she emerged as an original voice in the New York, London and Paris avant-gardes. Her use of concepts, language and participation heralded themes central to the Fluxus movement and Conceptual Art, and her event and sound pieces of the time laid the groundwork for major developments in music and performance art in the latter part of the century. Tonight she creates a unique evening of performance and lecture, re-exploring earlier work performed in London in the 1960s.
18.30 Manton Foyer doors Open (Atterbury Street Entrance)
18.45 Ticket holders seated in Gallery 9
19.00 Yoko Ono Performance
20.00 Private View - Art and the 60s: 7this Was Tomorrow( with pay bar)
21.00 Gallery Closed.
PLEASE NOTE THAT THERE WILL BE STIUCTLY NO ADMITTANCE TO THE PERFORMANCE AFTER 19.00
T A T E
Here is the link to the new official page pertaining to Yoko's upcoming performance at the Tate Gallery which includes a link to book tickets:
http://www.tate.org.uk/britain/eventseducation/talks/yokoono454.htm
There was a show on BBC , with the same name running in late spring 2004.
http://www.theherald.co.uk/news/19247.shtml
snip:"
Art & the Sixties appeared to have been made, equally, because Tate Britain has just opened a show of the same. Riding on the coat-tails of exhibitions has become a habit with arts documentaries, and not a good one. Meanwhile, the likes of Marianne Faithfull and Yoko Ono told us, yet again, how impossibly cool and creative everyone was back then in the swinging age. Not Kasmin, who still sounds like a geography lecturer. Not Fraser, who lived the life of a wastrel before dying at the age of 49. Most of the art itself wasn't up to much, over-rated then and half forgotten now. A bit like the sixties, really.
Thanks to Mike, RL, and Alejandro.
