Early Life and Education of Yoko Ono: A Complete Timeline
An overview of the childhood and early education of Yoko Ono, highlighting the experiences that shaped the journey.
Yoko Ono is a Japanese multimedia artist, singer, songwriter, and peace activist. Her artistic endeavors span various mediums, including performance art and filmmaking. She is best known for her avant-garde art and her marriage to John Lennon, with whom she collaborated on music and peace campaigns. Ono's work often addresses themes of feminism, peace, and social justice, and she continues to be an influential figure in contemporary art and activism.
1911: Birth of Isoko Ono
In 1911, Isoko Ono, Yoko Ono's mother, was born. She came from a family with ties to the Yasuda clan and zaibatsu.
December 1936: Birth of Keisuke Ono
In December 1936, Yoko Ono's younger brother, Keisuke Ono, was born. Two weeks before Yoko's birth, her father had been transferred to San Francisco.
1940: Move to New York City
In 1940, Yoko Ono's family moved to New York City. The following year, the family returned to Japan.
1945: Family Moves to the United States
After the war ended in 1945, Yoko Ono remained in Japan when her family moved to the United States and settled in Scarsdale, New York.
1951: Graduation from Gakushūin
In 1951, Yoko Ono graduated from Gakushūin and was accepted into the philosophy program of Gakushuin University, becoming the first woman to enter the department.
September 1952: Enrollment at Sarah Lawrence College
In September 1952, Yoko Ono joined her family in New York and enrolled at nearby Sarah Lawrence College.
1952: Move to New York City
In 1952, Yoko Ono moved to New York City to join her family and became involved in the downtown artists scene in the early 1960s.
1956: Elopement with Toshi Ichiyanagi
In 1956, Yoko Ono left college to elope with Japanese composer Toshi Ichiyanagi, who was studying at Juilliard.
1957: Move to New York and Work
In 1957, Yoko Ono left college and moved to New York, supporting herself through secretarial work and lessons in the traditional Japanese arts at the Japan Society.
December 1960: Loft Series Begins
From December 1960 through June 1961, Yoko Ono and La Monte Young held a series of avant-garde events in Ono's loft at 112 Chambers Street in downtown Manhattan, attended by artists like Marcel Duchamp and Peggy Guggenheim. Ono presented her work once during the series.
1960: Enactment of Add Color Painting Series
In 1960, Yoko Ono first enacted her Add Color Painting series, inviting the audience to make marks over designated objects, often white, which later inspired works like Refugee Boat.
June 1961: End of Loft Series
From December 1960 through June 1961, Yoko Ono and La Monte Young held a series of avant-garde events in Ono's loft at 112 Chambers Street in downtown Manhattan. The series came to a close in June 1961.
1961: First Solo Exhibition at AG Gallery
In 1961, George Maciunas gave Yoko Ono her first solo exhibition at his AG Gallery in New York, marking a significant step in her art career. She was also invited to join Fluxus, but declined.
1961: First Major Public Performance
In 1961, Yoko Ono had her first major public performance in a concert at the Carnegie Recital Hall. This concert featured radical experimental music and performances.
November 28, 1962: Marriage to Anthony Cox
On November 28, 1962, Yoko Ono married Anthony Cox, an American film producer and art promoter who had been instrumental in securing her release from the mental institution.
1962: Divorce and Mental Institution
In 1962, Yoko Ono and Toshi Ichiyanagi divorced. Ono returned home to live with her parents and, suffering from clinical depression, was briefly placed into a Japanese mental institution.
March 1, 1963: Annulment of Second Marriage
On March 1, 1963, Yoko Ono's second marriage to Anthony Cox was annulled because she had neglected to finalize her divorce from Ichiyanagi.
June 6, 1963: Second Marriage to Anthony Cox
On June 6, 1963, after finalizing her divorce from Ichiyanagi, Yoko Ono married Anthony Cox again.
August 8, 1963: Birth of Kyoko Chan Cox
On August 8, 1963, Yoko Ono gave birth to her daughter, Kyoko Chan Cox.
September 1966: Participation in Destruction in Art Symposium
In September 1966, Yoko Ono visited London to meet artist and political activist Gustav Metzger's Destruction in Art Symposium. She was the only woman artist chosen to perform her own events.
November 7, 1966: First Meeting with John Lennon
On November 7, 1966, Yoko Ono and John Lennon first met at the Indica Gallery in London, where she was preparing her conceptual art exhibit, Unfinished Paintings. Lennon was particularly struck by her piece, Ceiling Painting/Yes Painting.
1966: YES Sculptural Work at Indica Gallery
In 1966, Yoko Ono displayed a sculptural work titled "YES" at the Indica Gallery in London, featuring viewers climbing a ladder to read the word "yes" printed on a small canvas.
September 1967: Lennon Sponsors Ono's Art Show
In September 1967, John Lennon sponsored Yoko Ono's solo Half-A-Wind Show at Lisson Gallery in London, marking a significant step in their relationship.
November 21, 1968: Miscarriage of Lennon and Ono's Child
On November 21, 1968, Yoko Ono had a miscarriage of a male child, a few weeks after John Lennon's divorce from Cynthia was granted.
February 2, 1969: Divorce from Anthony Cox
On February 2, 1969, Yoko Ono and Anthony Cox divorced, paving the way for her marriage to John Lennon later that year.
March 1969: "Bed-in for Peace" in Amsterdam
In March 1969, Yoko Ono and John Lennon held a "Bed-in for Peace" in their honeymoon suite at the Amsterdam Hilton Hotel, promoting world peace by wearing pajamas and inviting visitors and press.
March 20, 1969: Lennon and Ono's Marriage and Bed-In for Peace
On March 20, 1969, John Lennon and Yoko Ono were married in Gibraltar and spent their honeymoon in Amsterdam campaigning with a week-long bed-in for peace.
April 22, 1969: Lennon's Name Change
On April 22, 1969, John Lennon changed his name by deed poll, replacing Winston with Ono as a middle name.
June 1969: Car Crash and Studio Presence
In June 1969, John Lennon and Yoko Ono were involved in a car crash during the recording of Abbey Road. Following the accident, a bed with a microphone was set up in the studio for Ono to provide artistic input on the album. This constant presence of Ono in the studio reportedly strained Lennon's relationships with the other Beatles, leading to friction within the band. There was also an incident of Ono taking George Harrison's chocolate digestive biscuits without asking.
December 1969: "WAR IS OVER!" Billboard Campaign
In December 1969, Yoko Ono and John Lennon continued their message of peace with billboards in 12 major world cities reading "WAR IS OVER! If You Want It – Happy Christmas from John & Yoko".
1969: Marriage to John Lennon
In 1969, Yoko Ono married English musician John Lennon of the Beatles and began a career in popular music by forming the Plastic Ono Band with Lennon. They used their honeymoon as a stage for public protests against the Vietnam War with what they called a bed-in.
1969: Labelled "The Woman Who Broke Up the Beatles"
In 1969, Yoko Ono was dubbed "the woman who broke up the Beatles" by the English press. Paul McCartney had foreseen this perception during rehearsals for the Let It Be film and album. John Lennon and George Harrison denied that Ono caused the breakup, while Ono stated that the Beatles broke up without her direct involvement.
1970: Relocation to Manhattan
After the Beatles disbanded in 1970, Yoko Ono and John Lennon moved permanently to Manhattan to escape tabloid racism towards Ono.
1971: Custody Battle and Disappearance of Kyoko
During a 1971 custody battle, Anthony Cox disappeared with their eight-year-old daughter Kyoko. Cox won custody after claiming that Ono was an unfit mother due to drug use.
July 1973: Separation from Lennon
In July 1973, Yoko Ono and John Lennon separated, with Ono pursuing her career and Lennon living between Los Angeles and New York with May Pang.
October 9, 1975: Birth of Sean Lennon
On October 9, 1975, John Lennon's 35th birthday, Yoko Ono gave birth to their son, Sean Lennon.
December 8, 1980: John Lennon's Murder
On December 8, 1980, John Lennon, Yoko Ono's husband, was murdered in front of their apartment building, The Dakota. They had one son, Sean.
October 9, 1985: Dedication of Strawberry Fields memorial
On October 9, 1985, the Strawberry Fields memorial in Central Park, funded by Yoko Ono, was officially dedicated on what would have been John Lennon's 45th birthday.
1986: Starpeace goodwill world tour
In 1986, Yoko Ono embarked on a goodwill world tour for Starpeace, focusing on Eastern European countries.
1987: Visit to Moscow and Leningrad
In 1987, Yoko Ono traveled to Moscow to participate in the "International Forum for a Nuclear-free World and for the Survival of Mankind". She also visited Leningrad, where she met with members of the local John Lennon memorial club, including Kolya Vasin.
1987: Attended Andy Warhol's Funeral
In 1987, Yoko Ono was one of the speakers at Andy Warhol's funeral, highlighting her connections within the New York art world.
1990: Worldwide broadcast of Imagine
In 1990, Yoko Ono collaborated with Jeff Pollack to honor what would have been John Lennon's 50th birthday with a worldwide broadcast of "Imagine".
1998: Reunion with daughter Kyoko
After a long separation, Yoko Ono reunited with her daughter Kyoko in 1998.
1999: Death of Isoko Ono
In 1999, Isoko Ono, Yoko Ono's mother, passed away. She was born in 1911.
1999: Billboard Campaign After Columbine
In 1999, following the Columbine High School massacre, Yoko Ono paid for billboards in New York City and Los Angeles displaying an image of John Lennon's blood-splashed spectacles.
2000: Founding of the John Lennon Museum
In 2000, Yoko Ono founded the John Lennon Museum in Saitama, Japan, which housed over 130 pieces of Lennon and Beatles memorabilia from her private collection.
2001: Release of feminist concept album and concert for 9/11 relief
In 2001, Yoko Ono released her feminist concept album, Blueprint for a Sunrise. A month after the 9/11 attacks, she organized "Come Together: A Night for John Lennon's Words and Music" to raise money for relief efforts.
March 2002: Unveiling of John Lennon statue at Liverpool Airport
In March 2002, Yoko Ono was present with Cherie Blair at the unveiling of a statue of John Lennon in Liverpool to mark the renaming of Liverpool airport to Liverpool John Lennon Airport.
April 2002: Sale of Lennon's glasses photograph
In April 2002, the cover photo of Lennon's bloody spectacles from Yoko Ono's 'Season of Glass' album was sold at an auction in London for approximately $13,000.
2002: Ono Discusses Attraction to Lennon
In a 2002 interview, Yoko Ono discussed her initial attraction to John Lennon, describing it as a "really strange situation."
2003: Support for Love-In Protest
On Valentine's Day in 2003, on the eve of the Iraqi invasion, Yoko Ono contacted Andrew and Christine Gale, who were holding a love-in protest in Addingham, West Yorkshire, offering her support.
2004: "Everyman..... Everywoman....." Remix Release
In 2004, Yoko Ono remade her song "Everyman..... Everywoman....." to support same-sex marriage, releasing remixes including "Every Man Has a Man Who Loves Him" and "Every Woman Has a Woman Who Loves Her".
2005: Visit to Portland, Maine
In 2005, Yoko Ono visited Portland, Maine, with memories of driving along the coast with John Lennon and dreaming of buying a house there.
December 13, 2006: Arrest of Ono's bodyguard for attempted extortion
On December 13, 2006, Yoko Ono's bodyguard was arrested for allegedly trying to extort $2 million from her, threatening to release private conversations and photographs.
2006: Performance at the Winter Olympic Games
In 2006, Yoko Ono performed at the opening ceremony of the Winter Olympic Games in Turin, Italy, reading a poem calling for world peace as an introduction to Peter Gabriel's performance of "Imagine".
February 16, 2007: Resolution of bodyguard extortion case
On February 16, 2007, Yoko Ono's bodyguard pleaded guilty to attempted grand larceny and was sentenced to time served, resolving the extortion case that began in December 2006.
June 26, 2007: Appearance on Larry King Live
On June 26, 2007, Yoko Ono appeared on Larry King Live alongside Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, and Olivia Harrison.
July 14, 2007: Headlining the Pitchfork Music Festival
On July 14, 2007, Yoko Ono headlined the Pitchfork Music Festival in Chicago, performing a set that combined music and performance art.
October 16, 2007: Interview with Amy Goodman
On October 16, 2007, Yoko Ono told Amy Goodman of Democracy Now! that her father was in a concentration camp in Saigon during the war.
2008: Unveiling Sky Ladders in Liverpool
In 2008, Yoko Ono returned to Liverpool for the Liverpool Biennial, where she unveiled Sky Ladders in the ruins of Church of St Luke.
March 31, 2009: Inauguration of the Imagine Exhibition
On March 31, 2009, Yoko Ono attended the inauguration of the exhibition "Imagine: The Peace Ballad of John & Yoko" to mark the 40th anniversary of the Lennon-Ono Bed-In.
May 2009: Design of T-shirt for Fashion Against AIDS
In May 2009, Yoko Ono designed a T-shirt for the Fashion Against AIDS campaign, featuring the statement "Imagine Peace" in 21 languages.
June 1, 2009: Promotion of The Beatles: Rock Band at E3 Expo
On June 1, 2009, Yoko Ono appeared onstage with Olivia Harrison, Paul McCartney, and Ringo Starr at Microsoft's E3 Expo press conference to promote The Beatles: Rock Band video game.
2009: Donation to disaster relief efforts
Yoko Ono was given a Congressional citation from the Philippines for her monetary aid to the victims of typhoon Pablo, as well as her donation to disaster relief efforts after typhoon Ondoy in 2009 and assistance of Filipino schoolchildren.
February 16, 2010: We Are Plastic Ono Band Concert
On February 16, 2010, Sean Lennon organized a concert at the Brooklyn Academy of Music called "We Are Plastic Ono Band", at which Yoko performed her music with Sean and other musicians.
2010: Attendance at Julian Lennon's Photo Exhibition
In 2010, Yoko Ono and Sean Lennon attended the opening of Julian Lennon's photo exhibition at the Morrison Hotel in New York City. It was the first time Ono, Sean, Cynthia Lennon, and Julian Lennon were photographed together. Ono also promoted the exhibition on her website.
2010: Closure of the John Lennon Museum
In 2010, the John Lennon Museum in Saitama, Japan, which Yoko Ono funded, closed. This museum was dedicated to preserving the legacy of John Lennon.
February 18, 2011: Imagine Peace 2011 Advert
On February 18, 2011, her 78th birthday, Yoko Ono placed a full-page advert in the UK newspaper Metro for "Imagine Peace 2011", inviting people to think of and wish for peace.
July 2011: Visit to Japan to Support Earthquake and Tsunami Victims
In July 2011, Yoko Ono visited Japan to support earthquake and tsunami victims and promote tourism. She gave a lecture and performance called "The Road of Hope" at Tokyo's Mori Art Museum and painted "Dream" to raise funds for the Rainbow House.
August 2011: Bed Peace Documentary Release
In August 2011, Yoko Ono made the documentary film about the Bed-ins, Bed Peace, available for free on YouTube and as part of her website "Imagine Peace".
August 2012: Creation of Artists Against Fracking
In August 2012, Yoko Ono and Sean Lennon created the Artists Against Fracking group with Mark Ruffalo to protest against hydraulic fracturing.
2012: Dr. Rainer Hildebrandt Human Rights Award and Artists Against Fracking
In 2012, Yoko Ono received the Dr. Rainer Hildebrandt Human Rights Award and co-founded the group Artists Against Fracking, highlighting her continued activism and advocacy for human rights and environmental causes.
January 2013: Protest Against Hydraulic Fracturing
In January 2013, Yoko Ono, along with Sean Lennon and Susan Sarandon, protested against hydraulic fracturing in rural Pennsylvania under the banner of Artists Against Fracking.
November 24, 2013: Arising Exhibition
On November 24, 2013, the Personal Structures exhibition, organized by Global Art Affairs, was on view at the European Cultural Centre's Palazzo Bembo, featuring Ono's piece "Arising in Venice."
2013: Visit to Garden of the Phoenix
In 2013, Yoko Ono visited the Garden of the Phoenix in Chicago, which inspired her to create a permanent art installation in Jackson Park.
April 2014: Social Media Following
In April 2014, Yoko Ono's Twitter followers reached 4.69 million, while her Instagram followers exceeded 99,000, highlighting her active presence on social media.
2014: Folkestone Art Festival Contribution
In 2014, Yoko Ono contributed several artworks to the triennial Folkestone art festival.
2014: Earth Peace Installation
In 2014, Yoko Ono installed Earth Peace as part of the Folkestone Triennial. The artwork included posters, stickers, billboards, and badges around Folkestone. Three pieces remain on loan to the town, including an inscribed stone, a flag flown annually on International Peace Day, and a beacon of light on The Grand hotel's roof flashing "Earth Peace" in morse code.
2015: Creation of Arising in Venice
In 2015, Yoko Ono created Arising in Venice, a feminist art installation displayed at the European Cultural Centre's Palazzo Bembo as part of the Personal Structures exhibition. The artwork featured female silicon bodies burnt in the Venetian lagoon, evoking phoenix imagery.
February 26, 2016: Hospitalization Due to Extreme Flu Symptoms
On February 26, 2016, Yoko Ono was hospitalized and rumored to have suffered a stroke, but it was later announced she was experiencing extreme symptoms of the flu.
October 2016: Permanent Art Installation in Chicago
In October 2016, Yoko Ono unveiled her first permanent art installation in the United States, located in Jackson Park, Chicago, promoting peace. This collection was inspired by her visit to the Garden of the Phoenix in 2013.
2018: Portland Magazine Interview
In a 2018 issue of Portland Magazine, editor Colin W. Sargent recounted interviewing Yoko Ono about her and John Lennon's visit to Portland, Maine, in 2005.
2019: River to River Festival Installation
In 2019, Yoko Ono presented her participatory installation Add Color (Refugee Boat) (1960/2019) at Lower Manhattan's River to River Festival. The artwork involved a white room with a white rowing boat, both covered in messages and drawings by the audience, emphasizing solidarity and the history of immigrants and refugees in the United States.
November 2021: Withdrawal from Public Life
In November 2021, it was noted in The New Yorker that Yoko Ono had "withdrawn from public life", with her son Sean acting as the public representative for the family's interests in the Beatles' business.
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