Yoko Ono is an artist who constantly challenges the traditional boundaries of art, known for her groundbreaking conceptual and performance pieces, experimental films and music.
For the inaugural artist commission of ♥ Like: A BOFFO Instagram Project, Ono pursues a strand of her practice that has iconic roots in early Conceptual Art. Pairing simple variations of repeated images with expansive and allusive texts, Ono conjures alternative mental worlds. Recalling her work Blue Room Event (1966 – ), in which a series of texts written directly on gallery walls makes performative observations—“This room slowly evaporates every day”—and asks viewers to imagine alternate realities—“Find other rooms which exist in this space”—Ono’s new work inscribes itself directly in the platform interface. Presenting stark compositions and drawing out their associative powers through text, Ono critiques the primacy of the image; she situates an essential component of her work in the open site of Instagram’s comments field, commingling with varied responses and “@” communiqués to other users.
Gallery
A grey dot in the center of the page is from the wall which was once too high for you to see the other side of. Spread its grey over the page thinking of the day you broke out of the wall.
A shining foam is in the center of the page. Spread its constant movement over the page. Remember your mom’s smile.
A green dot of the forest is in the center of the page. Spread its green over the page, reminding you of the day you went in.
A black dot of the night sky is in the center of the page. Spread it over the page to give you a deep rest.
A blue dot from the Tokyo sky is in the center of the page. Spread its blue over the page into a sky you saw in your heart.