罗伯·威尔森（Robert Wilson）的工作涉及的艺术领域相当广泛，是一位享负盛名的导演、舞台建筑师、设计师、编舞家、策展人、视觉和灯光艺术家。自1960年代末，他的作品塑造了戏剧和歌剧的当代美学。他通过标志性地运用灯光、研究简单动作的结构以及对设计传统的严谨性，极有远见，其力量和原创性，显现于他所有媒介的作品中。
威尔逊的图像作品受到行为艺术及极简主义影响。虽然这些作品往往与他的舞台作品息息相关，是他在排练期间创作过程的记录，但它们亦可纯粹作为一种诗意的物件独立存在。他的画作往往是按顺序展示，呈现了同一主题的细微变化，例如他的《弥赛亚》（Der Messias）系列，就是莫扎特改编了亨德尔的清唱剧。这些作品以微妙的黑白色调描绘，从纯粹的抽象到威尔逊设计的表演、场景或幕间的具体草图。与其说是现实地表现舞台设计，不如说他们代表了能量的流动，呼应他以光来定义舞台空间。
威尔逊1941年生于德克萨斯州的韦科，在德克萨斯州大学（University of Texas）和布鲁克林的普瑞特艺术学院（Pratt Institute in Brooklyn）学习。他在1960年代中期创立了以驻于纽约的表演团体 “伯德·霍夫曼伯德学校”（The Byrd Hoffman School of Byrds），并创作了他的第一批标志性作品，包括《聋人一瞥》（Deafman Glance）（1970年）和《给维多利亚女王的一封信》（A Letter for Queen Victoria）（1974-75年）。他与菲利普·格拉斯（Philip Glass）合作，创作了具开创性的歌剧《海滩上的爱因斯坦》（Einstein on the Beach）（1976年）。1998年，由杰西·诺曼（Jessye Norman）出演的名作《蓝胡子公爵的城堡》（Bluebeard's Castle）与《期待》（Expecation）在萨尔茨堡音乐节（Salzburg Festival）上首演。威尔逊艺术上的伙伴包括一众作家和音乐家，如海纳·穆勒（Heiner Müller）、汤姆·威茨 (Tom Waits)、苏珊·桑塔格 (Susan Sontag)、劳里·安德森 (Laurie Anderson)、威廉·柏洛兹 (William Burroughs)、卢·里德（Lou Reed）和安娜·卡维 (Anna Calvi)。他还在贝克特的《克拉普最后的录音带》（Beckett's Krapp's Last Tape）、布雷希特和威尔的《三重唱》（Brecht/Weill's Threepenny Opera）、德彪西的《佩利亚斯和梅利桑德》（Debussy's Pelléas et Melisande）、歌德的《浮士德》（Goethe's Faust）、荷马的《奥德赛》（Homer's Odyssey）、让·德·拉封丹的《寓言》（Jean de la Fontaine's Fables）、普契尼的《蝴蝶夫人》（Puccini's Madama Butterfly）、威尔第的《茶花女》（Verdi's La Traviata）和索福克勒斯的《伊底帕斯王》（Sophocles' Oedipus）等大师作品中留下了他的印记。
威尔逊的素描、绘画和雕塑作品已在数百个个展和群展中展出，并成为国际级的私人收藏及博物馆馆藏。他获得无数卓越的奖项，包括普立兹奖（Pulitzer Prize）提名（1986年）、两个乌布奖（Premio Ubu awards）（1994年和1996年）、第45届威尼斯双年展金狮奖（Golden Lion at the 45th Venice Biennale）（1993年）和奥利弗奖（Olivier Award）（2013年）。他获选入美国艺术与文学学院（American Academy of Arts and Letters）和德国艺术学院（German Academy of the Arts），共拥有八个荣誉博士学位。
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