Yoko Ono (whose first name translates to "ocean child") was born on February 18, 1933 in Tokyo, the eldest of three children born to Eisuke and Isoko, a wealthy aristocratic family. Her father was a frustrated pianist who held degrees from Tokyo universities in mathematics and economics. In 1935 he became head of a Japanese bank in San Francisco, as a result he did not meet Yoko until she was two years old, since she stayed behind in Tokyo with her mother.

Yoko's life forever changed when she met Beatle John Lennon at an exhibit of her work at the Indica gallery in London. Lennon, in addition to being a pop culture icon, was also one of the most brilliant creative minds of all time, with an art school background. The mental stimulation between the two developed into a strong friendship which eventually blossomed into romance as well as a creative marriage. By 1968, their affair was public as both of their marriages disintegrated. A bad side effect of Yoko's collapse of her marriage to Cox was that he "kidnapped" their daughter during a weekend custody visit. To this day, Yoko has not seen her long lost daughter Kyoko nor is she aware of her whereabouts.

Yoko Ono, 'Painting toHammer a Nail', 1966 

    Ceiling Painting (YES Painting), 1966  

Yoko Ono and John Lennon
War is Over!, 1969

Yoko Ono can be viewed as a radical artist, someone who requires an open mind in order to have her work appreciated. She stretches the limits of what society views as acceptable and never ceases to create an opportunity for the viewer to step back and reflect.

Shahbeila Bateman

Yoko books

Yoko Ono: An Unauthorized Biography
A Box of Smile
Arias and Objects 
The Bronze Age
Conceptual Photography
Drawings Performances Films
Endangered Species
Essays and Conversation
Grapefruit : A Book of Instructions and Drawings
Have You Seen the Horizon Lately
Homage to Nora : Stage-Setting From Ibsen's "A Doll's House"
Insound / Instructure
Instruction Paintings
Yoko Ono, the Person and the Work
Rising
Yoko Ono : To See the Skies
Y E S Yoko Ono

Links

Rolling Stone's Yoko Page

Tomolennon

AIU: A Yoko Ono Box