Y E S Yoko Ono

by Alexandra Munroe, Yoko Ono, Jon Hendricks

A fully illustrated retrospective look at the long and influential career of a challenging avant-garde artist reviews forty years of Ono's work, including films, music, and Conceptual art, and includes thought-provoking essays from respected scholars and a music CD.

Genres: Art, Nonfiction, Music

352 pages, Hardcover

First published October 1, 2000

Reviews

[Edward]

Someone had to break up the Beatles! Get over it; she was cool before they were. Ed Sullivan Show is fine and all, but seriously, if you were in NYC in 1964, and if when walking down the street you saw a Japanese lady who had laid out bits of sea glass on a gridded table top and labeled them with a date and a price and each one corresponded with a "future morning for sale", tell me you wouldn't buy one.
I could use a couple.

[Mark · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yoko ranks amongst the most misunderstood minds of our time. Her appeal is almost ineffable, but I find her to combine such perfect simplicity with a clarity, intensity and depth that often breaks through to the infinite. The day I spent at the retrospective that this catalog documents was a full day of hope and real belief in possibility. YES

[Pollopicu · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my second favorite Art book (Art Lover being the first).
It's an in-depth study of Yoko Ono's contribution to the conceptual Art movement. When I picked up this book I knew only two things about her.

1-She was John Lennon's wife.

2-She claimed to be an artist.

I'm now embarrassed to admit my ignorance. After reading this art book, if anyone were to ask me who my favorite artist is, I would have to proudly say it's Yoko Ono, hands down, and I wouldn't be ashamed to admit it either. She is indeed one of the most misunderstood artist of our time. Her "YES" and "Ex it" pieces are among my most favorite. I admire her inner strength to stay focused on her life's mission, although all her life she's struggled with society trying to bring her down and minimize her work. She doesn't have a huge following, but the few people she does have are loyal and truly get the message she's trying to convey. I'm surprised the art world hasn't realized they have an artistic genius still living within our generation. I'm eager to read so much more about her art.

The book is strictly about her art, not about John Lennon. Any parts mentioning John in the book is about his collaboration or assistance in her/their Artwork. It tells you just enough relevant details about John, but nothing gossipy. I really respected that aspect of the book. It was very well written. I even went online and searched for more books by the author.

I would read this book again and again.

[Paula · Rating 5 out of 5]

Criticisms from academians who've "studied" her and done much research, knowledgeable about "avant-garde" music. it's pretty much a catalog of her art, performances, chronicle of her history, critical analyses from learned types from every angle appropriate. also had a cool cd w/ three of her songs from the turn of the century included. very cool for all yoko ono fans (and john lennon/beatles fans who don't suck).

[Café · Rating 3 out of 5]

A lot of information regarding mother Yoko. I liked it since it studied Ono and her work under the light of cultural, philosophical and artistic movements. Good illustrations too. I got it from my University's library, so I don't know if it is accessible (price wise); but if you have the chance, you should take a look at it.

[Jude · Rating 5 out of 5]

What i would prolly put on my desert island coffee table. endless, fearless, idiosyncracy as life and art. This retrospective show at the Japan Center is in my top two of ones i shoulda sold blood to get to.

[Dave Naz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great collection of Yoko's work.

[Ari · Rating 5 out of 5]

A gigantic book that I am surprised I got through, but actually so intriguing if you're a fan. It showcases a lot of her work, and goes deep in her life coming up and distinguishing herself as an artist, from the other Onos in her family, how she was influenced by post-war Marxist art movements in Japan, the conceit of her projects, how they're informed by zen concepts, others who were inspired by her work, her time with the Fluxus group, and much more. This focuses on Yoko and her achievements in their own right. It doesn't need to make a case for her.

[Tom Menner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yoko Ono is very unfairly demonized for being John Lennon's wife, for being the cause of the Beatles breaking up (not true), and for recording inaccessible music ('challenging' is a more fair description, which does not imply 'bad'). But what her critics fail to realize is that as an artist her work is actually quite interesting and legitimately stands apart from Lennon on its own merits (and then some). I picked up this book at The Japan Society in NYC and was impressed with the breadth and depth of her art. Whether you like her music or not I find her photographic, graphic and conceptual art frankly much more appealing than the likes of other more well-accepted art luminaries.