The year 2025 will signify six decades since Yoko Ono's influential performance of Cut Piece at Carnegie Hall in New York. A panel discussion is set to reflect on this pivotal work and its lasting impact.

This conversation will be moderated by Caroline Vercoe, an Associate Professor of Art History at Waipapa Taumata Rau/The University of Auckland, who will engage with fellow artists Jo Bragg, Alice Canton, and Nathan Joe.

Everyone is invited to participate.

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Associate Professor Caroline Vercoe (from Vailima, Samoa, Aotearoa New Zealand) is an expert in Global Art Histories, specializing in Māori and Pacific Art History and Visual Culture, as well as Contemporary Art in New Zealand. With three decades of experience in teaching, researching, and curating, she focuses on contemporary Pacific art and performance art while tackling themes of race, gender, and representation. Her contributions have appeared in various respected journals and publications.

Co-founder of the Meanwhile Artist-Run Initiative, Jo Bragg (Takatāpui, using they/he pronouns, belonging to Ngati Porou Iwi) is a visual artist, poet, and gender theorist based in Tamaki Makaurau. Bragg received a First Class Honours MFA by Research from Monash University in 2021 for their thesis, which includes an exploration of Yoko Ono's Cut Piece and its significance in contemporary Trans-feminist discourse. Their photographic works are part of notable collections, and their poetry collection is scheduled for release in early 2026.

Alice Canton (White_mess) is an acclaimed theatre artist and producer from Tamaki Makaurau, whose performances delve into themes of identity, culture, and community. She has produced significant works such as ORANGUTAN, WHITE/OTHER, BREAK BREAD (Silo Theatre) and the live documentary theatre piece OTHER [chinese].

Nathan Joe 周润豪 is a Chinese New Zealand playwright and performance poet. Raised in Ōtautahi and currently based in Tāmaki Makaurau, Joe has been recognized with prestigious awards, including the 2021 Bruce Mason Playwriting Award and the 2020 National Poetry Slam Champion title. His work includes the acclaimed poetry short film Nathan Joe: Homecoming Poems, which debuted internationally at the Toronto Queer Film Festival in 2022.

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Image: Yoko Ono, Cut Piece, 1964, filmed March 21, 1965. Performed by Yoko Ono in New Works of Yoko Ono, Carnegie Recital Hall, New York. Film by David and Albert Maysles. Film, 16mm, black and white, and sound (stereo), 8min, 27sec. © Yoko Ono.