One of the most compelling holiday trees we’ve seen in a public space is Yoko Ono‘s Wish Tree, versions of which have been installed around the world. She conceived of the idea in 1996 – though it’s actually an a very old practice – and it continues to reverberate. People are invited to write their wish on a paper tag and tie it to the tree. It can be done with any tree, anywhere, with any group of people. It’s much more powerful than a wishing well, maybe because you can read other people’s wishes…there’s an intimacy and connectedness to it.
Here’s a performance Ono did at MOMA last summer in tandem with the installation of the wish tree. If you imagine YOURSELF opening your mouth and screaming like that, you realize how much she is putting herself out there.
It’s hard to do, and given her story, strangely moving. Daring, really.
If you aren’t near a Wish Tree, or don’t want to make one, you can also Tweet your wishes directly from Ono’s site ImaginePeace.
