Touch Poem #5 1960

Curator: Today we are looking at "Touch Poem #5" by Yoko Ono, created around 1960. The piece incorporates mixed media, notably paper and… human hair. Editor: Well, that's definitely a visceral start! It’s minimal but manages to feel…intimate, maybe even a little unsettling, don't you think? There's something strangely vulnerable about the exposed paper, too. Curator: Absolutely, the unsettling feeling might stem from confronting the taboo of human remnants presented so starkly. Ono was pushing boundaries, repurposing mundane materials to ask big questions about what we consider art. The materials feel essential, less like adornments and more like... vital components. Editor: Vital indeed. There's a power in her choice to use what most people discard or hide away. Looking at the texture, you can almost feel the wispiness of the hair against your skin. She's prompting you to acknowledge, perhaps even meditate, on what constitutes a "poem" when divorced from language. What’s interesting is the material contrasts: delicate paper against something as strong and deeply coded as hair. Curator: Yes, that's insightful. I think that is why "Touch Poem" resonates so deeply. She bypasses conventional aesthetic appreciation and goes straight for sensation, directly challenging us to define beauty beyond visual consumption. How fascinating to imagine what would happen if everyone started displaying their cast-off self! What type of world would that be? Editor: Now, you’ve given me something to consider! One might perceive this artwork through lenses beyond just beauty, examining themes of mortality, and considering the labor and processes behind sourcing these specific materials. Hair, of course, accumulates value based on its proximity to celebrity, becoming a sought-after object on the open market, fetishized in popular culture. I find it intriguing how Ono uses common resources to create unique value and to comment on systems of social value. Curator: It’s really interesting you mention those angles! I must admit I always think more emotionally; considering art as emotional artifact… It’s like she’s dared to pluck not just a strand of hair but also a piece of our carefully constructed selves. What is left to be vulnerable about when everything is revealed? Editor: I suppose that is another fascinating aspect of "Touch Poem #5": it refuses to sit still within any singular definition, which continues to excite me!