9 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Apr 30
The March 1965 New York staging at Carnegie Recital Hall, the work’s third presentation, was preserved in a nine-minute black-and-white film by David and Albert Maysles.
In the piece, audience members cut away Ono’s clothing, with the film showing restraint giving way to aggression before protests erupt as one man exposes her bra.
The article says the work became a landmark of feminist performance art, influencing artists including Marina Abramović and resonating amid renewed concern over threats to women’s rights.
How would social media change the audience's reaction to 'Cut Piece' if it were performed today?
Where is the line between artistic consent and assault in performances that invite audience participation?
What does 'Cut Piece' reveal about the universal fragility of civility when social rules are removed?