At the 53rd Venice Biennale of International Art, running from June 7 to
November 27, 2009, conceptual artist Yoko Ono, widow of the late John Lennon, will be
honored, along with famed American artist John Baldessari, with the prestigious
Golden Lion. The award, which recognizes the artists’ careers, will be given on
June 6, at the Biennale’s inaugural ceremony. While some have criticized the
nomination of Ono, calling it a ploy to incite controversy, jury members explained their
choice: ‘Both artists have given rise to new possibilities of poetic, social
and conceptual expression for artists all over the world . . . Their work has
revolutionized the language of art and will remain a source of inspiration for
generations to come.’
