Yoko Ono is better known for her conceptual art, campaigns for world peace, and supposedly breaking up the Beatles (Paul says it’s not true), than for the lols; but a new exhibition shows that she has no problem with a few laughs at her expense.
As part of the Reykjavik Art Museum’s recent show, titled Yoko Ono: One More Story…, Icelandic performance artist Ragnar Kjartansson brought the The Simpsons to life and turned it into art, filling a man’s hat with perfume and placing a single floating plum within — exactly what the very Yoko-like character (a Japanese conceptual artist) orders at Moe’s Tavern during an episode in which Barney quits The Be Sharps, the band he formed with Homer, Principal Skinner, and Apu. The Yoko parody character is Barney’s girlfriend and [spoiler] is the cause of the band splitting.
The exhibition, curated by Yoko, explores her entire career and includes open calls to the public as well as requests to local and international artists to contribute works. Ragnar’s piece was a response to Yoko’s invitation to fellow artists, asking them to “supply a vessel for the water to give to specific people, either to heal their minds (such as in the case of warlords), or appreciate their courage in speaking out (such as in the case of grassroots activists). It can also be given to a specific person, people, or the land in desperate need for water (love)”. She finished by saying, “Let’s have fun in doing this together,” which Ragnar obviously did.
“A single plum, floating in perfume, served in a man’s hat” on display at Yoko Ono’s Reykjavik Art Museum exhibitionhttps://t.co/FvifKWRrhp pic.twitter.com/63733DRlHw
— The Future Heart (@TheFutureHeart) October 16, 2016
Credits
Text Clementine de Pressigny
Photography Reykjavik Art Museum