Robert Wilson works across a wide variety of artistic disciplines and is an acclaimed director, stage architect, designer, choreographer, curator, visual and light artist. Since the late 1960s, his productions have decisively shaped the contemporary aesthetics of theatre and opera. Through his signature use of light, investigations into the structure of simple movements and the classical rigour of his designs, the force and originality of his vision is apparent across all media.
Wilson's graphic works are fuelled by influences ranging from performance art to Minimalism. While these are often intimately linked to his work for the stage, acting as records of his creative process during rehearsals, they also exist independently as purely poetical objects. Often presented in sequence, his drawings offer subtle variations on the same motif, such as his Der Messias series that relates to Mozart's adaptation of an oratorio by Handel. Rendered in subtle tones of black and white, these works range from pure abstraction to specific sketches of what Wilson envisioned for an act, scene or interlude. Rather than a realistic rendering of the stage design, they represent energy streams, echoing his use of light to define space on stage.
Born in 1941 in Waco, Texas, Wilson studied at the University of Texas and the Pratt Institute in Brooklyn. He founded the New York-based performance collective 'The Byrd Hoffman School of Byrds' in the mid-1960s and developed his first signature works, including Deafman Glance (1970) and A Letter for Queen Victoria (1974–75). With Philip Glass, he wrote the seminal opera Einstein on the Beach (1976). In 1998, the renowned production of Bluebeard's Castle & Expectation, with Jessye Norman in the role of the Woman, premiered at the Salzburg Festival. Wilson's artistic collaborators include many writers and musicians such as Heiner Müller, Tom Waits, Susan Sontag, Laurie Anderson, William Burroughs, Lou Reed and Anna Calvi. He has also left his imprint on masterworks such as Beckett's Krapp's Last Tape, Brecht/Weill's Threepenny Opera, Debussy's Pelléas et Melisande, Goethe's Faust, Homer's Odyssey, Jean de la Fontaine's Fables, Puccini's Madama Butterfly, Verdi's La Traviata and Sophocles' Oedipus.
Wilson's drawings, paintings and sculptures have been presented in hundreds of solo and group exhibitions and are in private collections and museums internationally. He has been honoured with numerous awards for excellence, including a Pulitzer Prize nomination (1986), two Premio Ubu awards (1994 and 1996), the Golden Lion at the 45th Venice Biennale (1993), and an Olivier Award (2013). He was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Letters, and the German Academy of the Arts, as well as holding eight honourary doctorates. France pronounced him Chevalier des arts et des lettres (2003) and Officier de la Légion d'Honneur (2014), while Germany awarded him the Officer's Cross of the Order of Merit (2014).
Wilson is the founder and artistic director of The Watermill Center, a laboratory for the arts in Water Mill, New York.
2020
Der Messias, Galerie Thaddaeus Ropac, Paris Marais, France
Robert Willson: Videos and Drawings, Bernier/Eliades Gallery, Brussels
Der Messias - Zeichnungen, Galerie Thaddaeus Ropac, Salzburg, Austria
Noah's Ark. Van Cleef & Arpels, Opera as the World, Centre Pompidou-Metz, Paris, France
2019
A Boy From Texas, Cristina Grajales Gallery at Design Miami, Miami, FL, USA
Le Violon d’Ingres, Villa Medici, the French Academy in Rome, Rome, Italy
Constellation, Glasstress, Venice, Italy
Balthus Unfinished, Musée Cantonal des Beaux-Arts, Lausanne, Switzerland
2018
The Hat Makes The Man, Max Ernst Museum, Brühl, Germany
Power and Beauty in China’s Last Dynasty, Minneapolis Institute of Art, Minneapolis, MN, USA
2017
Black and White, Galeria Luisa Strina, São Paulo, Brazil
Tales, Villa Panza, Milano, Italy
2016
Glass Works, Laffanour Galerie Downtown, Paris, France
2015
Video Portraits of Lady Gaga, Bernier/Eliades Gallery, Athens, Greece
2014
Tropical Spring, Hiram Butler Gallery, TX, USA
Video Portraits of Lady Gaga, Galerie Thaddaeus Ropac, Paris, France
2012
Einstein on the Beach, Paula Cooper Gallery, New York, NY, USA
2014
Officer of the Legion of Honor, awarded by the President of the French Republic
Officer's Cross of the Order of Merit, awarded by the President of the Federal Republic of Germany
Goethe Medal: Lifetime Achievement Award from the Goethe-Institut, Weimar, Germany
Manchester Theatre Award: Set Design for The Old Woman
Artis Bohemiae Amicis Award for the promotion of Czech culture
2013
Received honorary doctorate from La Sorbonne, Paris, France
Paez Medal of Art, awarded by the Venezuelan American Endowment for the Arts
Olivier Award: Best New Opera for Einstein on the Beach
Received honorary doctorate from The City University of New York, New York, NY, USA
2012
International Design and Communication Award
2010
Der Steiger Award, Bochum, Germany
Received honorary doctorate from the American University of Paris
2009
Hein Heckroth Prize – Lifetime Achievement for Scenic Design, Giessen, Germany
Honoree at the Orange County Museum of Art's Art of Dining 2009 Ultramodern, Newport Beach, CA, USA
Culture e Fede, Ceremony to honor artists, including Robert Wilson, presided over by Pope Benedict XVI, Sistine Chapel, Vatican City, Italy
Honoree at Alliance Française with Pierre Bergé, New York, NY, USA
Richard B. Fisher Award for Quartett, Brooklyn Academy of Music, NY, USA
Jerome Robbins Award, New York, NY, USA
2008
Received honorary doctorate from University of Bucharest, Romania
Best Theater Production in Czech Republic for The Threepenny Opera
2007
Rosa d'Oro awarded by David Hockney, Palermo, Italy
2006
Drama Desk Award Nominee for Outstanding Director of a Play for Peer Gynt; Best Costume Design for Jacques Reynaud; Best “Theatrical Experience”, New York, NY, USA
2005
Louise T. Blouin Foundation Award, New York, NY, USA
Pratt Legends Honoree, Pratt Institute, New York, NY, USA
American Innovator Award, The Japan Society, New York, NY, USA
Texas Medal of Arts, Texas Cultural Trust Council, Austin, TX, USA
Received honorary doctorate from University of Toronto, Canada
2003
Commander of the Order of Arts and Letter, awarded by the President of the French Republic, France
Backstage West Garland Award: Best Lighting Design for Woyzeck, Los Angeles, CA, USA
2002
Thomas Jefferson Award, American Institute of Architects, Houston, TX, USA
"Politika" Grand Prix Award Belgrade International Theater Festival (BITEF) for Woyzeck, Belgrade, Serbia and Montenegro
2001
National Design Award, Smithsonian Institution, National Design Museum
Houston Opera Gala
Reumert Award for Best Set Design for Woyzeck
2000
Grand Prix de la Critique 1999-2000: Meilleur Spectacle Étranger [Best Foreign Production] for Dream Play, Syndicat de la Critique Dramatique et Musicale, Paris, France
Honored at the Mary Buckley Endowed Scholarship Dinner, Pratt Institute, New York, NY, USA
American Academy of Arts and Letters
1999
Wilhelm Hansen Honorable Prize. Copenhagen, Denmark
Médaille d’Argent de la Foundation de l’Académie d’Architecture, Paris, France
Honorary Award, 11th International Istanbul Theatre Festival
Pushkin Prize, Moscow, Taganka Theater
1998
Harvard Excellence in Design Award, Cambridge, MA, USA
1997
Tadeusz Kantor Prize, Crakow, Poland
April 18th is Robert Wilson Day by the Texas State Legislature
B.Z. Arts Award "Berliner Bär", Berlin, Germany
1996
Premio Europa per il Teatro, Taormina, Italy
Dorothy and Lillian Gish Prize, New York, NY, USA
1995
Best Director, International Widescreen Festival for The Death of Molière
Premio Abbiati, Italian Theater Critics Award for Hanjo/Hagoromo
Texas Artist of the Year, Art League of Houston
Guest of Honor, American Friends of the Paris Opera and Ballet, Gala Dinner
1994
Premio Ubu, Best Foreign Performance for Alice
Received honorary doctorate from California College of Arts and Crafts, CA, USA
1993
Golden Lion (First Prize in Sculpture), 45th Venice Biennale for Memory/Loss installation
1992
Premio Ubu, Best Foreign Performance for Dr. Faustus Lights the Lights
1991
Received honorary doctorate from the Pratt Institute, New York, NY, USA
Jack I. and Lillian Poses Creative Arts Award at Brandeis University, for Alternative and Multidiscipline Creative Art Forms, MA, USA
Theatertreffen, Festspiele Berlin for The Black Rider
1990
German Theater Critics Award, Best Production of the Year for The Black Rider
Special Mention by the Jury, "Festival du Film d'Art" for La Femme à la Cafetière video
1989
Grand Prize, Barcelona Biennale Festival of Cinema Art for La Femme à la Cafetièrevideo
Premio Abbiati, Best Production of the Year, Italian Theater Critics Award for Dr. Faustus
Grand Prize for Best Event, Biennial of São Paulo for Parzival and Hamletmachine furniture and drawings
New York Public Library Lion of the Performing Arts
1988
Institute Honor, The American Institute of Architects
Premio Mondello, Award for Theater
1987
American Theatre Wing Design Award, Noteworthy Unusual Effects for the CIVIL warS–Rome Section
Bessie Award for the CIVIL warS–Knee Plays
Le Sydicat de la Critique Musicale Award for Best Foreign Play for Alcestis
Theatertreffen, Berliner Festspiele for Hamletmachine
Skowhegan Medal for Drawing, Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture
1986
Sole nominee, Pulitzer Prize for Drama for the CIVIL warS (no prize awarded that year)
Picasso Award, Malaga Theater Festival for Overture to the Fourth Act of Deafman Glance
Obie Award for Direction for Hamletmachine
1985
Franklin Furnace Award for Einstein on the Beach
1984
Theatertreffen, Berliner Festspiele for the CIVIL warS–Cologne Section
First Prize, San Sebastian Film and Video Festival for Stations
1982
Der Rosenstrauss for The Golden Windows
Harvard University Citation for The Golden Windows
1979
Best Production of the Year, German Critics Award for Death Destruction & Detroit
First Prize, German Press Award for Death Destruction & Detroit
1977
Le Sydicat de la Critique Musicale Award for Best Musical Theater for Einstein on the Beach
Grand Prize, BITEF (Belgrade) for Einstein on the Beach
Lumen Award for Design for Einstein on the Beach
1975
Maharam Award for Best Set Design for a Broadway Show for A Letter for Queen Victoria
TONY Nomination for Best Score and Lyrics for A Letter for Queen Victoria
1974
OBIE Special Award Citation for Direction for The Life and Times of Joseph Stalin
1971
Drama Desk Award for Direction for Deafman Glance
1970
Le Syndicat de la Critique Musicale Award for Best Foreign Play, 1970-71 for Deafman Glance