Yoko Ono

Yoko Ono is an artist, musician, and activist. Born in Tokyo, Ono was the first woman admitted to the philosophy program at Gakushuin University, Tokyo, where she studied before moving to New York in 1953. By 1960 Ono had become a vital part of the New York avant-garde and the international Fluxus movements. In 1964 Ono debuted her pioneering performance work Cut Piece, and self-published her book of collected instructions, Grapefruit, both 1964, now considered a cornerstone in conceptual art. Ono and John Lennon met in 1966 and by 1968 the duo had begun their collaborations in art, music, and peace activism.
 
As a singer and songwriter, Ono has released fourteen studio albums and eight collaborative albums, including the 1981 Grammy award-winning Album of the Year, Double Fantasy. Ono's artworks and films are widely exhibited internationally and include numerous prestigious museum and private collections. In 2009 she was awarded the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement from the Venice Biennale. Yoko Ono currently lives and works in New York City.