Is Yoko Ono Still Alive? Her Current Life At 92 And Artistic Legacy In 2025

The question of "Is Yoko Ono still alive?" is frequently searched due to her advanced age and increasingly private life. As of today, December 18, 2025, the legendary Japanese-American artist, musician, and peace activist Yoko Ono is indeed still alive. She celebrated her 92nd birthday on February 18, 2025, and continues to reside in the iconic Dakota apartment building in New York City, the same residence she shared with her late husband, John Lennon. Her current existence is one of quiet, reclusive dignity, yet her artistic influence remains as vibrant and active as ever, particularly with major museum retrospectives scheduled for 2025.

Her status as an influential figure in conceptual art and the avant-garde movement is undeniable, but in recent years, she has stepped away from the public eye. While her physical appearances are rare, her creative and philanthropic work continues through her son, Sean Taro Ono Lennon, who manages her affairs and actively promotes her extensive body of work. Despite health challenges that necessitate the use of a wheelchair, Yoko Ono’s message of peace and her radical artistic vision are being celebrated globally in the most up-to-date fashion.

Yoko Ono: A Complete Biographical Profile

Yoko Ono’s life is a remarkable tapestry woven through aristocracy, wartime trauma, and radical artistic expression. Born into a prominent banking family, her early life was marked by privilege and then upheaval during World War II. Her journey from the Fluxus art movement to becoming the controversial wife of a Beatle solidified her place as one of the 20th century's most fascinating and misunderstood figures.

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• Full Name: Yoko Ono Lennon (小野 洋子, Ono Yōko)
• Date of Birth: February 18, 1933
• Current Age: 92 (as of December 2025)
• Place of Birth: Tokyo, Japan
• Parents: Isoko Ono (Mother) and Eisuke Ono (Father, a classical pianist and banker)
• Education: Gakushūin University (Tokyo), Sarah Lawrence College (Bronxville, New York)
• Occupations: Multimedia Artist, Conceptual Artist, Performance Artist, Musician, Film Producer, Peace Activist
• Spouses: Toshi Ichiyanagi (m. 1956; div. 1962), Anthony Cox (m. 1962; div. 1969), John Lennon (m. 1969; d. 1980)
• Children: Kyoko Chan Cox (Daughter, b. 1963, with Anthony Cox), Sean Taro Ono Lennon (Son, b. 1975, with John Lennon)
• Notable Artistic Movements: Fluxus, Conceptual Art, Avant-garde
• Current Residence: The Dakota, Upper West Side, New York City

The Latest Status: Life at The Dakota and Her Health

Since the tragic death of John Lennon in 1980, Yoko Ono has maintained her residence at The Dakota, the historic apartment building facing Central Park. This location has become synonymous with her reclusive life in recent decades.

Reclusive Lifestyle and Public Appearances

Her public presence has significantly diminished since the mid-2010s. Her last major public appearance was in 2017, where she was seen using a wheelchair. This shift to a more private existence is largely attributed to health issues, which her son, Sean Ono Lennon, has alluded to in various interviews.

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While details of her specific ailments are kept private, the use of a wheelchair and a general retreat from the spotlight suggest age-related health challenges. Despite this, she continues to manage her vast estate, the legacy of John Lennon, and her own extensive artistic catalogue from the privacy of her home.

The Role of Sean Ono Lennon

Her son, Sean Taro Ono Lennon, has taken on an increasingly prominent role as the custodian of both his parents' legacies. He frequently represents her at events, oversees the reissue of her music with the Plastic Ono Band, and ensures her conceptual art projects, such as the famous "Wish Tree," continue to be exhibited globally.

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This careful management ensures that even as Yoko Ono lives a quiet life, her impact on music, art, and activism remains fully active and accessible to a new generation.

Yoko Ono's Enduring Artistic Legacy in 2025 and Beyond

The most compelling proof that Yoko Ono is not just alive but is an active cultural force lies in the scheduled exhibitions for 2025. Her work, once dismissed by critics, is now universally recognized for its pioneering role in conceptual and performance art, anticipating movements like punk and post-modernism.

Major Museum Retrospectives (2025)

One of the most significant events confirming her enduring relevance is the major solo museum exhibition, "Yoko Ono: Music of the Mind." This retrospective is scheduled to open at the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago (MCA) in October 2025, marking the exclusive U.S. venue for the show. This exhibition is a testament to her influence, showcasing her multimedia works, films, music, and conceptual pieces from her early days in the Fluxus movement to her later collaborative work with John Lennon.

Furthermore, her iconic public art project, "Wish Tree," is slated to be part of the 2025 Park Avenue Armory season in New York. The project, which invites the public to write wishes on tags and hang them on a tree, is a powerful example of her participatory, instruction-based art, furthering her message of global peace and collective hope.

Pioneering Conceptual Art and Fluxus

Yoko Ono was a central figure in the Fluxus movement of the 1960s, a collective of artists who championed a "do-it-yourself" aesthetic and blurred the lines between different art forms. Her "instruction pieces," which are simple, written instructions for the viewer to complete, define this radical approach. Key works that cemented her legacy include:

• Cut Piece (1964): A performance piece where audience members were invited to cut away pieces of her clothing until she was nearly nude, exploring themes of vulnerability, trust, and gender violence.
• Grapefruit (1964): A book of instruction pieces and conceptual poetry that is considered a seminal work of conceptual art.
• Ceiling Painting/Yes Painting (1966): The work that famously brought her and John Lennon together, requiring the viewer to climb a ladder to read the word "YES" on the ceiling through a magnifying glass.

The Legacy of Peace and Activism

Her collaborations with John Lennon—the Bed-In for Peace, Bagism, and the global "War is Over! (If You Want It)" campaign—are enduring symbols of 20th-century activism. Even in her quiet life at The Dakota, her commitment to peace continues through philanthropic efforts, such as sponsoring the Lunchtime Concert Series at the University of Liverpool via her Spirit Foundations, supporting emerging artists and musicians.

In conclusion, Yoko Ono is not only still alive but is experiencing a powerful resurgence in critical appreciation. Her current life may be one of seclusion and careful management due to her health, but her artistic legacy is anything but quiet. With major retrospectives and public installations scheduled for 2025, her conceptual art, her avant-garde music, and her unwavering message of peace are proving to be timeless, ensuring her influence will continue long after she is gone.