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YO: I never thought of it really ... the kind of thing that I'm interested in is not so much what is actually on paper or actually there, that you can touch. But it's something that is beyond that. It's a kind of freedom from just being tied to objects and things that are in the "real world," a three-dimensional world. By conceptualizing things you have an incredible freedom. EGG: Were you trying to get away from the commodification of art? YO: Well, it's not just commodification of art, but just the form itself of art was simply repetitious for me. I was getting too used to it, and it didn't stimulate me. There was something other than that; the otherness of existence was so important, and I was looking for that. The history of art events [happenings or performances] is something that Ð- well, I mean, I don't want to go into the history of it, because somebody told me that in Italy they did performance art stuff or something in 1700. But, in my own life trip, I came to a point that I just had to do those things. And so, I did those things in my life and I felt that was something that was necessary for me, but also I felt that it's something that I could share with people. EGG: Most artists who came to prominence in the '60s were white men. How did you fit in as an Asian woman? Did you encounter any resistance? YO: In the '60s, I was not too aware of that, but I think the fact that I was an Asian woman, but also a woman, had a lot to do with the kind of attitude I received in the art world. I'm sure most women artists would tell you that, but in my case it maybe doubled because I was an Asian as well. But also it had to do with my work, [because it] was difficult to understand. At that point I think that that had a lot to do with it, and I wasn't trying to explain it or anything because I was a very proud and shy person. Pride and shyness is sort of kind of deadly combination and so I just thought, OK, if they don't understand it, it's their loss. EGG: What is the story behind your piece "Half a Room"? YO: What happened was that before I met John I was married to this person and we were not getting along too well. And one morning, I woke up and I saw that the other side of the bed was empty. Obviously, he did not come back at night. So, it's a very interesting thing ... that "half-empty" idea. So it's like half the bed is not there. Then I thought, OK, I should make all these objects that are half and the other half is not there. It's a symbolic thing in a way, and again there are many layers of interpretation that I immediately noticed and I loved. I told John about this "half" idea, and he immediately said, "Why don't you put the other half in bottles -- like, you know, in Alice in Wonderland?" I thought it was a great idea. His half was exhibited in a recent gallery show with my "Half a Room," but very sedately, in a back room. ... The very strange thing is, just like this "Half a Room" thing, my artwork affected my life and my life affected my artwork. I Ieft the other half open and John filled it up. It's very symbolically interesting. EGG: Describe your piece "Wish Tree." YO: I would say all my works are a form of prayer or a wish. And so this is really a wish piece. And people write down their wishes, and then they sort of tie the knot on the tree. There are lines of people who want to do that. So, whenever we have the "Wish Tree" piece, we have to supply maybe three or four or sometimes twenty trees instead of the first one because the one becomes so heavy with [paper] ... it's an incredible amount of ... wishing. I enjoy that piece very much, and I have wishes from people from many different countries now and I'm keeping it all. I am not going to look [at them], I mean it's sacrilegious to look [at them]. Their wish should go from here to there directly, not being interfered or intruded on by me. So, I am collecting all these wishes, and then one day I am going to make a piece that contains all the wishes and it will be very powerful, I think. |
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