Yoko Ono Returns to India

By Margherita Stancati

The last time Yoko Ono visited India, it was ? you guessed it ? with her late husband, John Lennon. ?The memory of it is very clear and lovely. The shining blue sky we had every day still lives in my heart,? Ms. Ono said of her first and only India trip in an emailed interview.

She?ll soon be back, this time with an exhibition.

Next month, visitors in India will have a chance to see a non-John side of Ms. Ono for themselves, as the Japanese artist prepares to bring her first show to the country: ?Our Beautiful Daughters,? a homage to India?s women. The exhibition, brought to India by Vadehra Art Gallery, will take place in multiple venues around New Delhi from Jan. 13.

Ms. Ono has long been encouraging people to see beyond her Beatles connection and to focus more on her contemporary art work ?? with mixed results. Even today, her name still evokes images like the couple?s famous ?bed-in? for peace ? arguably Ms. Ono?s most famous performance piece ever.

More recently, Ms. Ono?s performances have seen her sing, shout, whisper and even fake an orgasm ? sometimes all of the above. This is all from a woman who, at 78 years old, is older than Anna Hazare and just a few months younger than Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

When she comes to Delhi next month, many will be curious to see whether she will be as daring in her performance art here as she has been elsewhere. Delhi is less used to avant-garde art than other cities where Ms. Ono has showcased her work, so it will be interesting to see how responsive the public is to her more conceptual work. Ms. Ono?s public performance piece is set to take place at the India Habitat Center on Jan. 15.

Her Delhi show is set to have an Indian spin and focus on women. ?My strong love and respect for India gave me the inspiration? for the show, Ms. Ono said, describing ?Our Beautiful Daughters? as ?the daughters of India.? She has so far been tight-lipped about her show?s specifics. So far, we know it will include a wide range of her earlier work as well as site-specific pieces, which will be on show in two of Vadehra Art Gallery?s spaces until March 10. There will also be a Wish Tree, Ms. Ono?s trademark interactive piece, which asks visitors to write a wish on a piece of paper and tie it on the branch of a tree.

Still, when Ms. Ono arrives in India, many will be curious to squeeze out more details from her previous trip here with Lennon. The couple?s history with the subcontinent predates their marriage.

During Lennon?s famous stay in a Rishikesh ashram with the rest of the? Beatles and his then-wife Cynthia, he was already infatuated with Ms. Ono. ?We were in touch with each other while he was in India with his three friends,? she recalls, omitting to mention that Cynthia was also there. Lennon soon after left Cynthia and months later was married to Yoko.

You can follow Margherita and India Real Time on Twitter @margheritamvs and @indiarealtime.

Source: http://blogs.wsj.com/indiarealtime/2011/12/26/yoko-ono-returns-to-india/?mod=WSJBlog

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