Robert Wilson is an American experimental theater stage director and playwright who has been described by the media as "[America]'s—or even the world's—foremost avant-garde 'theater artist.'" Over the course of his wide-ranging career, he has also worked as a choreographer, performer, painter, sculptor, video artist, and sound & lighting designer. He is best known for his collaborations with Philip Glass on the opera Einstein on the Beach, and with numerous other artists, including William S. Burroughs, Allen Ginsberg, Lou Reed, Tom Waits, David Byrne, Laurie Anderson, Rufus Wainwright, Marina Abramović, CocoRosie (Peter Pan, 2013), and Lady Gaga & Tony Bennett.

Wilson will talk about poignant moments of his career, the arc of his still developing aesthetic, and some of his key projects. This talk is a rare opportunity to see and hear Wilson in person, as he seldom speaks publically about his work.

Since the late 1960s, Wilson's productions have decisively shaped the look of contemporary 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 has continuously articulated the force and originality of his vision. Wilson's close ties and collaborations with leading artists, writers, and musicians continue to fascinate audiences worldwide.

Jonathan D, Katz, director of the Doctoral Program in Visual Studies at UB commented, "We are very fortunate to be able to bring Robert Wilson to Buffalo as the next speaker in our biannual Leslie Lohman Queer Arts Lecture Series. There is perhaps no vision as influential, far-reaching, and transformative in theatrical performance today, and the irony is that this has been the case for nearly 50 years, in countries across the globe. [Wilson] may very well be the single most influential American in the performing arts across both the 20th and 21st centuries."