Imagine Yoko Ono, It's Impossible If You Try

Yoko Ono: Cut Piece, photo of performance, July 20, 1964 (Kyoto, Yamaichi Hall);
photo courtesy of Lenono Photo Archive ©Yoko Ono; Oxford Art Online

I pity all those people who don't love Yoko Ono. Not that John Lennon isn't great, and worthy of his acclaim, following, sainthood, biopics, and posthumous merchandising (there's that Yoko again). But Yoko is the coolest, and not just because she eclipsed all those mopheads with her romantic Svengali-like influence on John.

He wisely recognized that the woman was not only smarter, but had more interesting ideas in her pinky than he had in his entire band. Just look at this picture from her 1964 performance work "Cut Piece." Brave, resonant, enduring, original. Extremely annoying to the average yokel at the time and today exhibiting a classicism and simplicity that is unmatched. Compare this with the arrival of Beatlemania in America and "I Want to Hold Your Hand." Quaint and corny isn't it?

Tomorrow is the second lighting of the Imagine Peace Tower, erected in John Lennon's honor off of Rekyjavik, and to be lit every year from Lennon's birthday on October 9th to his death day on December 8th. You can still send a wish to be included in the October 9th lighting if you act fast.

From the Imagine Peace Project Website:

"The IMAGINE PEACE TOWER is a work of art conceived by Yoko Ono in memory of John Lennon. It is dedicated to peace and bears the inscription 'IMAGINE PEACE' in 24 languages. Its construction and installation is a collaboration between Yoko Ono, the City of Reykjavik, Reykjavik Art Museum and Reykjavik Energy.The work is in the form of a wishing well from which a very strong and tall tower of light emerges. The strength, intensity and brilliance of the light tower continually changes as the particles in the air fluctuate with the prevailing weather and atmospheric conditions unique to Iceland. Every year it will light up between October 9th (Lennon's birthday) and December 8th (the day of his death). In addition the IMAGINE PEACE TOWER will be lit on New Year's Eve, during the first week of spring and on some rare special occasions agreed between the City and Ono.The electricity for the light comes entirely from the Hellisheidi Geothermal Power Plant."

Today Iceland had to borrow 5.5 billion dollars from Russia because nobody else would help bail them out. Their economy has virtually collapsed due to the credit crisis; their currency has fallen 30% against the euro; the United States couldn't spare 5.5 billion for them. You may say I'm a dreamer, but couldn't we elect Yoko Ono?