Ay-O (Takao Iijima, born 1931) is a Japanese artist, who has been associated with Fluxus since its international beginnings in the 1960s.
Ay-O mentions as his biography: “December 3, 1968 got Hong Kong flu; January 2, 1969 got Hong Kong flu again! Each time took rainbow medicine.”
In 1954 Ay-O graduated from the Tokyo Kyoiku University and in the late 1950s left for New York.In 1961 he met George Maciunas and from 1962 he was part of Fluxus. Ay-O participated in happenings (such as The Tart, in 1965) and in numerous Fluxus manifestations. He did a series of Rainbow Environments and is particularly known for his Finger Boxes (with holes through which one’s finger can feel what is hidden inside).
In 1966 Ay-O represented Japan in the Venice Biennale with a Rainbow Tactile Room.
