nobutohIn Memoriam: Yoshito Ohno
Standing frontal and slack, arms loose, head tilted to one side, feet together.

02 of 03

Doll

A doll is lifted by a thread you cannot see.

Standing square to the camera, one forearm held out at chest height with the hand hanging, the other hand curled at the shoulder, painted white against a white backdrop.02
Knees turned in and feet wide apart, arms bent loose at the sides, the head cocked, like a puppet set down.03

One arm hangs from a hook. The knees forget each other.

Standing frontal and slack, arms loose, head tilted to one side, feet together.Standing square to the camera, one forearm held out at chest height with the hand hanging, the other hand curled at the shoulder, painted white against a white backdrop.Knees turned in and feet wide apart, arms bent loose at the sides, the head cocked, like a puppet set down.A wide stance with the torso tilted, one hand curled by the hip and the other arm angled up.One leg swept behind, the torso turned, one arm raised with the hand curled by the head.Legs crossed to make a diamond, one forearm folded across the chest, the other hand held out.Legs crossed, one arm arched overhead and the other tucked behind the back, the head turned toward the lens.Folded forward at the waist with one leg crossed over the other, a hand hooked behind the back.Seen from behind, standing with one arm bent out from the body, the head turned a little, feet together.Balanced on one leg with the other kicked back, one hand to the back of the head.One leg lifted behind at the knee, the torso twisting away, the hands bent at the wrists.Leaning back from the standing leg, one arm stretched overhead, the other foot trailing.Standing on one leg with the other knee drawn up, an arm arched overhead, the face tilted to the shoulder.One leg raised across the body, an arm lifted overhead, the eyes straight to the lens.Arched backward, one foot hooked behind the knee, an arm sweeping overhead.Kneeling with the chest arched back and the head thrown to one side, a fist at the hip.Kneeling with one leg thrust out to the side, the arms folded around the head.A hunched crouch, one hand behind the back, the head hanging forward.Crouched low and bent at the waist, the head tilted toward the lens, one hand curled in front, the other behind the back.

Nineteen positions. Nothing in between.

Now all of it at once.

Every position keeps a little of the one before it.

Seen from behind, standing with one arm bent out from the body, the head turned a little, feet together.
09

A film

Yoshito Ohno, with a doll.

Yoshito Ohno and the Doll

Three minutes of Yoshito Ohno with a doll. The video names Martina Morrocchi and the Mamonahi Theatre Company.

Original on YouTube, uploaded by MAMONAHI.

Another film

Yoshito Ohno again, on a stage in Barcelona.

Flower and Bird: A Letter to My Future Self

Yoshito Ohno at the Mercat de les Flors in Barcelona. Part of the piece is a choreography by Tatsumi Hijikata, made in 1985 for The Dead Sea.

Original on YouTube, uploaded by Mercat de les Flors.

All 19 photographs

  1. Standing frontal and slack, arms loose, head tilted to one side, feet together.01
  2. Standing square to the camera, one forearm held out at chest height with the hand hanging, the other hand curled at the shoulder, painted white against a white backdrop.02
  3. Knees turned in and feet wide apart, arms bent loose at the sides, the head cocked, like a puppet set down.03
  4. A wide stance with the torso tilted, one hand curled by the hip and the other arm angled up.04
  5. One leg swept behind, the torso turned, one arm raised with the hand curled by the head.05
  6. Legs crossed to make a diamond, one forearm folded across the chest, the other hand held out.06
  7. Legs crossed, one arm arched overhead and the other tucked behind the back, the head turned toward the lens.07
  8. Folded forward at the waist with one leg crossed over the other, a hand hooked behind the back.08
  9. Seen from behind, standing with one arm bent out from the body, the head turned a little, feet together.09
  10. Balanced on one leg with the other kicked back, one hand to the back of the head.10
  11. One leg lifted behind at the knee, the torso twisting away, the hands bent at the wrists.11
  12. Leaning back from the standing leg, one arm stretched overhead, the other foot trailing.12
  13. Standing on one leg with the other knee drawn up, an arm arched overhead, the face tilted to the shoulder.13
  14. One leg raised across the body, an arm lifted overhead, the eyes straight to the lens.14
  15. Arched backward, one foot hooked behind the knee, an arm sweeping overhead.15
  16. Kneeling with the chest arched back and the head thrown to one side, a fist at the hip.16
  17. Kneeling with one leg thrust out to the side, the arms folded around the head.17
  18. A hunched crouch, one hand behind the back, the head hanging forward.18
  19. Crouched low and bent at the waist, the head tilted toward the lens, one hand curled in front, the other behind the back.19
Photographer
anonymous
Art director
anonymous
Video
not available

From the white room into a dim one. The lights go down.

Next performance, 03Masculinity