Nous vous confions ci-après une interview de Yoko Ono donnée au journal « The Desert Sun » :
Q: I understand the exhibit is a collection of free drawing, caricature and illustrations. I was wondering if John had a favorite media to work in, or subject matter?
YOKO:Well, he was very, very interested and very quick in just drawing things you know with pencil, or ink, pen and ink, or Oriental brush.
Q:Yes, he mastered the Oriental line drawing, didn?t he? That?s wonderful. Are there any artists that he was inspired by?
YOKO:Well, I don?t know. But you know, I mean he did do some very interesting drawings when he was very young. He did seem very much like George Gross kind of thing. But I don?t think that he knew what George Gross was doing. I mean, John had his own thing you know. And what he did on his own was very unique and interesting.
Q: I know that starting in the late ?60s, you and John had numerous showings of art works, including, of course, the Bag One pieces. Then a little later on, he was – publicly anyway – concentrating more on recording -although at home he continued to create art. Had John ever talked about perhaps mounting his own or a joint art exhibition with you for the future?
YOKO:It would have been so nice, but both of us were so ostracized, separately and together, so there was no chance. I mean can you imagine in those days, if we did a show of John?s artwork and Yoko?s artwork, they?d be throwing stones at the gallery.
Q:I did read actually that he tried to get some art shows, and the galleries were snubbing him.
YOKO:I know…
Q:And I just found that so hard to believe – like what was it, just stick to your rock and roll?
YOKO:Yeah. But can you imagine, you know, how people felt that…oh, that?s would just be like a pop star gathering. I think that even now many people think that way. But there are enough people who really understand his work and are inspired by his work.
Q:Just an interesting footnote is that Paul McCartney has also recently had some limited showings of his own artwork. So I was wondering – speaking as an artist yourself – if you?ve seen any of Paul?s paintings, and if so, formed any impressions about them at all?
YOKO:Well, I did see a few of them, and you know, I think that anybody who?s trying to do anything in the peace industry that I see…I praise them, and like to encourage them and it?s great that he?s doing it.
Q:Are there perhaps some timeless messages in John?s artwork that we can apply to today?s world and peace?
YOKO:Well, John was a genius, and he was drawing like that when he was nine years old, you know. So it?s a totally different class of things. I mean, I can?t even do… I can?t draw like John draws, or like John did draw. And so you know he was just a one and only kind of person.
Q:Although as a musician, you?re a classically trained pianist yourself, right?
YOKO:Yes, classically trained, but cannot be expected…! (Laughs)
Q:Is your son Sean an artist, too? Does he also like to paint and draw?
YOKO:Yes, he?s incredible doing that. I mean, there?s no way of describing it, but it?s just that he?s so unusual, very different from John and from me. He does his own thing.
Q:He?s his own man.
YOKO:Yes.
Q:Now along with an obviously very brutal honesty, you see a lot of humor and whimsy in John?s work, like maybe « don?t take things too seriously. » Did that reflect in his everyday life also?
YOKO:Mostly. Though of course, he was a very serious person, too, but I think there is a just certain balance of that and being versatile as well. John was just totally versatile and was not a shallow person. He was very deep as well. And deep, but also you know, a little bit tongue and cheek you know. But he was so sweet, and there was something about his art, that was so nice about it.
Q:It?s just relaxing to look at it, it puts you in a good mood.
YOKO:Exactly.
Q:I understand John was recently named as one of the ten greatest Britains ever by the BBC, which is very establishment. How do think John would feel about that? How do you feel about that?
YOKO:Well, I mean you know, even in 1969 he was elected in Britain as Man of the Year or something. It was always like that. He was always getting a lot of respect from the British, you know. So I?m not surprised.
Q:You did live in England for a long time, and so I was wondering if there was anything you -or John – have particularly missed about it? Things like popping down to the corner shop for something you can?t get over here, or certain cultural aspects that are different?
YOKO:Well, in my case, yes, of course I have missed that, too. But it?s tainted in a way because it?s kind of covered with my memories with John, you know. So I always feel like, oh well, that?s done with it, that kind of thing. It ruined the situation.
Q:It must give you a lot of satisfaction now that your own art and music has gotten so much critical acclaim, like « Rising, » and « Blueprint for a Sunrise » and the « Open Your Box » remix was a dance hit last year.
YOKO:Yes, I do have some people who like to listen to my music. I?m very lucky that way.
Q:And you?ve just had your own art exhibition, your first American retrospective that?s been touring called « Yes Yoko Ono. » I was wondering what that felt like? It must have been really interesting seeing the audience participation works now, because they?re museum pieces, right?
YOKO:I know! Well I?m very surprised that it did happen. I mean, I was just giving up on it…you know, forget it. But, yes, it took like, what is this 30, 40 years, you know before the art was finally recognized. So that?s interesting in itself really.
Q:There are so many young groups now that have been inspired by your work, too. What kind of music do you personally enjoy listening to, to relax? Do you have any favorite groups you like, or classical types of music?
YOKO:Uh, right now I don?t mind listening to symphonic something. Yeah, it seems like more and more I?m getting into string music. I don?t know why. I?m just going back to the old styles.
Q:You always seem so positive in both your work and personal life, and can draw people into that. How does that come about and what do you draw on?
YOKO:Well, I don?t know. I think that the reason why I am positive and anything else is because I have no choice. I mean, what are you going to do, just jump out of the window, you know? (Laughs) It?s much better to just try and stay bright, you know. And you?ll do all right for yourself. When I get very depressed, as I do, too, I just try to do something for somebody. You know, like call somebody and say hi, or write a little note, you know – a personal something. And just try and do something for somebody. But as for work, well, I wouldn?t say « new » work, but I started something like ten years ago. It?s a work called a talking sculpture. And it?s a telephone. And when the telephone is sitting in the museum in my show, I call in, and it?s a talking sculpture.
Q:How interesting.
YOKO:People would just, you know, pick up the phone and say hi. And I would say hi and they?d love it because it?s a sculpture in a show.
Q:That?s very interactive.
YOKO:Yes, interactive. But also sometimes, you know, I?d forget to call, but normally I would. So I do that.
Q:I know you?re a longtime supporter of AIDS causes, and the money from this exhibit will go to the Desert AIDS Project. Is there a special reason the cause is so close to your heart?
YOKO:I always make sure that whenever we do a show in any city or town that the owner has to recommend a charity because they know better than me about that.
I?ve always have a special interest in helping the AIDS people.
Q:Yoko, you seem to always stay so young and trendy…it?s almost unbelievable you?re going to turn 70 next month. What is your secret?
YOKO:Thank you! Well, I don?t know what it is. I was just busy, and didn?t have time to think about anything. I wasn?t counting my years, let?s put it that way. I didn?t have the time to. Now they tell me I?m going to be whatever, and I?m surprised. I said, what? Me?
Q:Do you workout a lot, or do you have a special diet, or meditate?
YOKO:I?m always moving my body because I?m always busy. So even in the house I?m active because I?m running from one room to another all the time. And then I take walks a lot. For instance, I live around 72nd Street, and I will go from here to Soho or something. So that kind of thing helps, I think.
Q:I know that you?re an inspiration to many people.
YOKO: Well, that?s good if I am. I hope that they get something out of it. That?s great.
