Robert Wilson
Robert Wilson was an American theatre director, playwright, architect, scenographer, lighting designer and illustrator (1941–2025). He was born at Waco and died at Water Mill.
Also recorded as Bob Wilson.
Contents
Recognition and collections
Robert Wilson received Steiger Award, Officer's Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany, Bessie Awards, Guggenheim Fellowship, Berliner Bär and Europe Theatre Prize. Work by Robert Wilson is held by Belvedere, Städel Museum, Art Institute of Chicago and Museum of Modern Art.
Identity
What the record establishes about Robert Wilson.
Parzival, a Chair with a Shadow is dated designed 1987, made 1990 and held by The Art Institute of Chicago (inventory 1991.39). Einstein on the Beach, Trial Scene Act 1, Scene 2 is dated 1976 and held by The Art Institute of Chicago (inventory 2014.1304). "The Magic Flute", Act II, Scene 29 is dated 1991 and held by Metropolitan Museum of Art (inventory 1993.258.4). Robert Wilson is recorded as theatre director, playwright, architect, scenographer and lighting designer. The Dunes, Indiana is dated 1963 and held by The Art Institute of Chicago (inventory 1963.787). My Coney Island Baby is dated 2004 and held by MTA Arts & Design Permanent Art Collection.
MTA Arts & Design Permanent Art Collection records 1 object associated with this heading. The Art Institute of Chicago records 8 objects associated with this heading. The Cleveland Museum of Art records 5 objects associated with this heading. HAM Helsinki Art Museum records 1 object associated with this heading. Tapio Wirkkala park is dated 2012 and held by HAM Helsinki Art Museum. Wellcome Collection records 565 objects associated with this heading.
Robert Wilson is recorded with the citizenship of United States. Kunsthaus Zürich records 2 objects associated with this heading. Stations is dated 1982 and held by Kunsthaus Zürich. Video 50 is dated 1978 and held by Kunsthaus Zürich. Open Library catalogues 29 works under this name. Darkening Stain is dated 1999.
Works and catalogued output
What Robert Wilson produced.
The Art Institute of Chicago catalogues 6 works under this heading. Wikidata Query Service catalogues 10 works under this heading. Wellcome Collection catalogues 8 works under this heading. Open Library catalogues 39 works under this heading.
Catalogued works
46 works under this name are catalogued by Wikidata Query Service, Open Library, The Art Institute of Chicago and Wellcome Collection. Their recorded dates run from 1953 to 2012.
Deafman Glance. Orlando. Tapio Wirkkala park, dated 2012, held by HAM Helsinki Art Museum. "The Magic Flute", Act I, Scene VI, dated 1991, held by Metropolitan Museum of Art, inventory 1993.258.1. "The Magic Flute," Act I, Scene XV, dated 1991, held by Metropolitan Museum of Art, inventory 1993.258.2. "The Magic Flute", Act II, Scene 29, dated 1991, held by Metropolitan Museum of Art, inventory 1993.258.4. Video 50, dated 1978, held by Kunsthaus Zürich. Stations, dated 1982, held by Kunsthaus Zürich. My Coney Island Baby, dated 2004, held by MTA Arts & Design Permanent Art Collection. A House for Giuseppe Panza. A right excellent and famous comedy, called The three ladies of London. The first part of the true & honorable history, of the life of Sir Iohn Old-castle, the good Lord Cobham. The pedlers prophecie. The coblers prophesie. Three lords & three ladies of London. עונש מוות. Martine Mar-Sixtus. Stealing People. Sólo una muerte en Lisboa. les assassins de l'ombre. les damnés de séville. CAPITAL PUNISHMENT. Hear No Lies. Pete and Tulley Murder Cases. Silent and the Damned. Darkening Stain, dated 1999. The Hidden Assassins. The ignorance of blood. You Will Never Find Me. The Company of Strangers. Instruments of Darkness. The Big Killing. The blind man of Seville. Verborgen moordenaars. Tot zwijgen gedoemd. Rasplata. Blood is dirt. The Dunes, Indiana, dated 1963, gelatin silver print, held by The Art Institute of Chicago, inventory 1963.787. Parzival, a Chair with a Shadow, dated designed 1987, made 1990, bleached birch with lacquered finish, held by The Art Institute of Chicago, inventory 1991.39. Einstein on the Beach, Trial Scene Act 1, Scene 2, dated 1976, graphite with stumping, erasure and incising on cream wove paper, held by The Art Institute of Chicago, inventory 2014.1304. Pennsylvania, dated 1963, gelatin silver print, held by The Art Institute of Chicago, inventory 1963.786. Untitled, dated c. 1963, gelatin silver print, held by The Art Institute of Chicago, inventory 1963.793. Robert Wilson. Wood engraving., held by Wellcome Collection. Feminine forever / by Robert A. Wilson., dated 1966, held by Wellcome Collection. Robert James Spence Wilson / J.D. Lennox., dated 2001, held by Wellcome Collection. Colour and light at work / by Robert F. Wilson., dated [1953], held by Wellcome Collection.
In public collections
Work associated with this heading is recorded in 7 named public collections.
Metropolitan Museum of Art: 3 recorded objects, read from the institution's own published catalogue. Kunsthaus Zürich: 2 recorded objects, read from the institution's own published catalogue. HAM Helsinki Art Museum: 1 recorded object, read from the institution's own published catalogue. MTA Arts & Design Permanent Art Collection: 1 recorded object, read from the institution's own published catalogue. The Art Institute of Chicago: 8 recorded objects, read from the institution's own published catalogue. The Cleveland Museum of Art: 5 recorded objects, read from the institution's own published catalogue. Wellcome Collection: 565 recorded objects, read from the institution's own published catalogue.
Literature
7 scholarly publications naming this subject were located in the registry of record.
Wilson, Robert, Benezit Dictionary of Artists, 2011. Wilson, Robert, Oxford Art Online, 2003. Wilson, Robert, Oxford Music Online, 2001. Wilson, Robert Burns, Benezit Dictionary of Artists, 2011. Wilson, Robert (opera), Oxford Music Online, 2002. Growth Policy in the Age of High Technology edited by Jurgen Schmandt and Robert Wilson . (Unwin Hyman, Boston, 1990) pp. xx + 470, $145.00, ISBN 0-04-445621-2, Prometheus, 1993. The Hearing Body in Robert Wilson’s and Mikhail Baryshnikov’s Letter to a Man, Critical Stages, 2021.
Scholarly footprint
Bibliographic registers publish measured figures for this heading: 30 language editions of the general reference literature carrying an article (Wikimedia (language editions)). A count of publications is evidence of attention, not of standing, and is given here only as a measure.
Evidence base
This article draws on 8 independent source lineages. Copies and mirrors of the same underlying record were collapsed into a single witness, so 8 means 8 genuinely separate publishers of record. 9 further registers were consulted and returned nothing for this heading.
Further recorded particulars
Identity and origins. He also worked under the name Bob Wilson. The authorities additionally record the heading Bob Wilson. His recorded language was English.
Career and activity. Robert Wilson worked in experimental theatre, directing, choreography, performance artwork and visual arts.
He belonged to Academy of Arts, Berlin and American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
Work and production. Works recorded as notable number 3: My Coney Island Baby, Deafman Glance and Einstein on the Beach. His recorded genre is public.
In detail
Robert Wilson studied at Pratt Institute. the recorded working language is English.
The field of work recorded is experimental theatre, directing and choreography. Subjects and genres recorded for the work are public art.
Membership is recorded of Academy of Arts, Berlin and American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
Works named in the authority record are My Coney Island Baby, Deafman Glance and Einstein on the Beach.
Work by Robert Wilson is recorded in the collections of Belvedere, Städel Museum, Art Institute of Chicago, Museum of Modern Art and Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Distinctions recorded are Steiger Award, Officer's Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany, Bessie Awards and Guggenheim Fellowship.
Chronology
- 1941Robert Wilson born.
- 1941Robert Wilson born at Waco.
- 1963The Dunes, Indiana is dated 1963 and held by The Art Institute of Chicago (inventory 1963.787).
- 1976Einstein on the Beach, Trial Scene Act 1, Scene 2 is dated 1976 and held by The Art Institute of Chicago (inventory 2014.1304).
- 1978Video 50 is dated 1978 and held by Kunsthaus Zürich.
- 1982Stations is dated 1982 and held by Kunsthaus Zürich.
- 1987Parzival, a Chair with a Shadow is dated designed 1987, made 1990 and held by The Art Institute of Chicago (inventory 1991.39).
- 1991"The Magic Flute", Act II, Scene 29 is dated 1991 and held by Metropolitan Museum of Art (inventory 1993.258.4).
- 1991"The Magic Flute", Act I, Scene VI (Metropolitan Museum of Art).
- 1991"The Magic Flute," Act I, Scene XV (Metropolitan Museum of Art).
- 1991"The Magic Flute", Act II, Scene 29 (Metropolitan Museum of Art).
- 1999Darkening Stain is dated 1999.
- 2004My Coney Island Baby is dated 2004 and held by MTA Arts & Design Permanent Art Collection.
- 2012Tapio Wirkkala park is dated 2012 and held by HAM Helsinki Art Museum.
- 2012Tapio Wirkkala park (HAM Helsinki Art Museum).
- 2025Robert Wilson died.
- 2025Robert Wilson died at Water Mill.
Sources
Each source is named with the standing the house places on it, so the evidence can be weighed rather than taken on trust.
- 1.
Open Library author record for Robert Wilson (Internet Archive), 142 catalogued works.
Institutional database · Scholarly · Internet Archive
Consult the source - 2.
Open Library author record for Robert Wilson (Internet Archive), 29 catalogued works.
Institutional database · Scholarly · Internet Archive
Consult the source - 3.
Wilson, Robert (opera), Oxford Music Online, 2002
scholarly publication · Scholarly
Consult the source - 4.
Wilson, Robert Burns, Benezit Dictionary of Artists, 2011
scholarly publication · Scholarly
Consult the source - 5.
Wilson, Robert, Benezit Dictionary of Artists, 2011
scholarly publication · Scholarly
Consult the source - 6.
- 7.
- 8.
Directory of Open Access Journals lists 104 articles naming Robert Wilson.
open access index · Unverified
Consult the source - 9.
Gemeinsame Normdatei 117647071, Schufeldt, Robert Wilson.
authority file · Unverified · Deutsche Nationalbibliothek
Consult the source - 10.
Gemeinsame Normdatei 1305412281, Gibbes, Robert Wilson.
authority file · Unverified · Deutsche Nationalbibliothek
Consult the source - 11.
Internet Archive, 385 digitised items catalogued under Robert Wilson as creator.
digital repository · Unverified
Consult the source - 12.
Project Gutenberg holds 8 full texts attributed to Robert Wilson.
digital repository · Unverified
Consult the source - 13.
The Art Institute of Chicago, collection records associated with Robert Wilson.
museum collection · Unverified · The Art Institute of Chicago
Consult the source - 14.
The Cleveland Museum of Art, open access collection records associated with Robert Wilson.
museum collection · Unverified · The Cleveland Museum of Art
Consult the source - 15.
Wellcome Collection catalogue records 565 works naming Robert Wilson.
museum collection · Unverified · Wellcome Collection
Consult the source - 16.
Wikidata, structured authority record Q541526: Robert Wilson
reference work · Reputable secondary · Wikimedia Foundation
Consult the source
Elsewhere in Paintings
14,207 published records in this field, each with its sources named.
- Robert Walker MacbethArtist
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- Robert William WoodArtist
- Robert Wolfgang SchnellArtist
- Robert WoodcockArtist
- Robert WylieArtist
- Robert YarberArtist
Best supported in this field
For owners
Own a work by Robert Wilson?
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