The Space Behind the Face - by Robert Wilson (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

The long-awaited memoir by the late, much-lauded theater and visual artist Robert Wilson

Robert Wilson was a driving force in the avant-garde art and theater worlds for half a century: He was the creative mind behind the seminal Einstein on the Beach (1976), among dozens of other original works and pioneering productions; his collaborators included Philip Glass, Lou Reed, Allen Ginsberg, John Cage, Tom Waits, Lady Gaga, and Jessye Norman; and he was honored with a Pulitzer Prize nomination, the Golden Lion for Sculpture of the Venice Biennale, an Olivier Award, the Praemium Imperiale, and many more. The story of Wilson's life and career is the story of the past fifty years of experimental art and theater--indeed, this history could hardly be approached through a better lens than an oeuvre about which Susan Sontag once said, "I can't think of any body of work as large or as influential."

The Space Behind the Face, written in collaboration with his friend, actor and writer Keith McDermott, charts Wilson's life through a series of vignettes, from growing up in small-town Texas to developing his unmistakable voice in New York's downtown scene to gaining international renown. Wilson's unapologetic idiosyncrasy shines throughout, whether he's creating a children's theater set of 368 fire hydrants or directing a twelve-hour silent opera about Joseph Stalin.

Part intimate remembrance, part cultural history, part road map for living an artistic life, The Space Behind the Face is a vital text for anyone who believes in the boundless value of creativity--and a stunningly beautiful memorial to the inimitable Robert Wilson.

Review Quotes

"Wilson's eloquent statement of principles may well interest even readers who don't necessarily care for his kind of challenging art. A revealing stroll through a boundary-smashing career." --Kirkus

"This book gathers the tales and spells that animated and illuminated Bob's visionary creations . . . Surreal, Absurd, Divine Texas BBQ . . . ! The other the other side of town 'Elegant!'" --Tom Waits and Kathleen Brennan

"It is a pleasure to read, and not only for those who knew Bob or his work. . . . [It] charts in an engaging and wonderful way the life he made and the things that made him and shaped his aesthetic." --Willem Dafoe

Praise for the work of Robert Wilson:

"I never saw anything more beautiful in the world since I was born. . . . Bob Wilson's work . . . is what we others, who fathered surrealism, what we dreamed it might become after us, beyond us." --Louis Aragon, open letter to André Breton, June 2, 1971

"Nobody walks away from working with Robert Wilson without having completely changed." --Tom Waits

"[America's]--or even the world's--foremost theater artist." --The New York Times

"It can be said that there is a clear before and after Bob Wilson on the international scene. . . . One of the great innovators of contemporary theater and opera." --El País

"The director who reinvented the language of theater." --La Repubblica

About the Author

Since the late 1960s, Robert Wilson's productions have decisively shaped the look of theater and opera. Through his signature use of light, his investigations into the structure of a simple movement, and the classical rigor of his scenic and furniture design, Wilson continuously articulated the force and originality of his vision. Wilson's close ties and collaborations with leading artists, writers, and musicians fascinated audiences worldwide.

Keith McDermott is an actor and writer. He made his Broadway debut in Equus starring opposite Richard Burton. He has performed in works by Robert Wilson in New York City and around the world. McDermott has often used his life in the theater as inspiration for his writing. His 2005 novel, Acqua Calda, was based on his experience with Wilson and was included in
the New York Times list of 25 recent works that have shaped the L.G.B.T.Q. literary genre over the last two decades. McDermott lives in New York City with his partner, painter Eric Amouyal.