Artist conducted shocking experiment similar to woman who let spectators do anything to her for six hours
Art means different things to different people.
But to perform such a controversial piece of live art like Yoko Ono did in 1964 takes some doing.
The Japanese musician and activist, 92, who is the widow of John Lennon, took to Kyoto's Yamaichi Concert Hall to carry out the infamous 'Cut Piece' act.
Ono would sit motionless on stage, inviting audience members to come up and cut away pieces of her clothing with scissors.
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Some of the participants would opt to cut a bit of clothing off at the arm, while others would make incisions to the bra area.
Aged 31 at the time, she would then reposition herself so nothing was on show.
The whole point of Cut Piece was arguably to explore contradicting emotions of humility, shame and perversion.
While some thought the act objectified and showcased the vulnerability of women, others thought it was a sign of materialism and consumerism.
On the whole though, 'Cut Piece' is seen as a reflection on violence and aggression.
The simple act of cutting away clothing can be perceived as a metaphor for the potential harm of day to day human interactions, challenging viewers to confront themselves and their own behaviours.
Ono has performed 'Cut Piece' numerous times, and in 2003, she did it to Paris to emphasise themes of peace post 9/11.
This iteration also invited her son Sean Lennon to cut off some clothing on stage
Ono first met The Beatles legend at a London art exhibition in 1966, and they married on in 1969.
Their relationship was highly publicised at the time, and the pair would go on to collaborate on music and activism.
Then in 1975, they welcomed Sean to the world, and lived out in New York.
However, the relationship faced challenges, which included an 18-month separation in the early 1970s.
After getting back together, Lennon was murdered on December 8, 1980.
After Lennon’s death, Ono continued her artistic and musical career. She remained active in philanthropy and peace activism. In later years, she faced health issues but continued to manage Lennon’s legacy and support the arts.
A decade later, a similar show took the art world by storm in Naples.
Rhythm 0
Serbian artist Marina Abramović performed 'Rhythm 0,' back in 1974, where she gave the public free rein over her body for six hours.
She placed 72 objects on a table, and spectators could use them on her however they wanted.
The objects ranged from things like flowers, perfume and apples, to more sinister items like razors and knives.
"At the beginning, nothing really happened," she reflected on the Marina Abramović Institute YouTube channel.
"The public were really nice. They gave me a rose, they would kiss me."
However, as the exhibition progressed, the things people did became more extreme and by the end of six hours, Marina had been stripped of her clothes and had her skin slashed.
Someone even held a loaded gun to her head, then put the artist's finger on the trigger.
She later said: "The experience I drew from this piece was that in your own performances you can go very far, but if you leave decisions to the public, you can be killed."
Anish Vij