Yoko Ono at Leeds

08 February - 14 March 2019

Yoko Ono (b.1933) is an internationally renowned multimedia artist and peace activist. A chief proponent of the Fluxus movement, Yoko Ono is known for her performance and instruction-based artworks which have been shown internationally.

She has fond memories of her time in Leeds, having performed at our Vernon Street building in 1966. Patrick Hughes provides the following eyewitness account:

“In 1966 [...] Fluxus artist, Yoko Ono, visited with her then husband Anthony Cox, and their three-year-old daughter Kyoko. When we came into the lecture theatre, Yoko and Anthony were hidden in a large black bag on the dais and a full auditorium of students and staff looked at the bag for an hour. They did not move much. We could not see them, but we learnt that they could see us through the material.”

For this exhibition, a selection of her interactive installations (e.g. Wish Trees, Mend Piece, Add Color Painting (Refugee Boat)) and political open calls (e.g. Arising) will be on display. A new text by Dr Andy Abbott will accompany this exhibition.

Open 10am - 4pm Monday to Saturday in our Blenheim Walk Gallery.

Image: Yoko Ono, Wish Trees for Beijing (1996/2015), installation view at Faurschou Foundation Beijing, Beijing, China, 2015. Photo: Emma Zhang.

  • 08 February - 14 March 2019
  • Blenheim Walk, Leeds Arts University, LS2 9AQ (Get Directions)