Robert Wilson: Chairs
Robert Wilson is a pioneer in the art world who has changed the way we look at theater, art and design.
As a total work of art Robert Wilson’s theater is an instrument that is versatile enough to allow almost any vision: sound, lighting, costume design, narrative construction, reconstruction, destruction, elements of dance, performance art, grand opera, cinema.
Wilson’s furniture and sculptural pieces are born on the stage as a key element, envisioned as performers on equal par with the actors.
Madame Butterfly Originally designed for the production of Madame Butterfly 1992media: black lacquered wood, bamboo, steeldimensions: 59 x 12 x 10 inchesedition of 3
They are exhibited and collected in galleries, museums and private collections worldwide.
The chairs that I’ve designed are more like sculptures, I always give them names: the Queen Victoria chair, the Joseph Stalin chair, the Sigmund Freud hanging chair, the Marguerite Duras chair. The Marie Curie chair, made from thin, steel rods, comes with an audio tape extract from the scientist’s diary. In a sense, they are more like poetic visions of personalities of our time, the way the Greeks made sculptures of the gods of their times. |
/Robert Wilson |
Meek Girl Chairoriginally designed for the production of The Meek Girl, 1994 media: wood, veneers, furdimensions: 106 x 54 x 55 cm.edition of 3
Parzival: a chair with a shadow originally designed for Parzival 1987media: bleached birch with black lacquer.dimensions: 41 3/4 x 15 x 15 3/4 inches.edition of 15
Parzival: a chair with a shadow originally designed for Parzival 1987media: bleached birch with black lacquer.dimensions: 41 3/4 x 15 x 15 3/4 inches.edition of 15
Queen’s Chair originally The Days Before: death destruction & Detroit III 1999media: lacquered black beech wooddimensions: 29 x 10 x 19 inches edition of 2
Chair for Marie Curie Originally designed for De Materie 1989 media: threaded steel rod, safety glass, neon light, electrical transformer and cablesdimensions: 54 x 11 7/8 x 15 3/4 inchesedition of 9
Lear ThroneOriginally designed for King Lear, 1990media: steel, copper, industrial rubber mattingdimensions: 165 5/8 x 24 7/8 x 71 7/8 inchesedition of 1
Little Prince ChairOriginally designed for Wings on Rock 1998 media: steeldimensions: 70 ? x 20 ? x 10″ Edition of 3
Elsa Chair Originally designed for Lohengrin, 1991media: Brassdimensions: 65 1/8 (h) x 24 (l) x 12 ? (w)”edition of 3
Einstein on the Beach Chair originally designed for Einstein on the Beach 1976 media: steel dimensions: 84x10x10″ edition of 6
Pamina Bed Originally designed for The Magic Flute 1991 media: steel Dimensions: 28 x 28 x 108 inches edition of 3
Leonce and Lena Bed Originally designed for Leonce and Lena media: wood dimensions 120 x 20 x 25″ Edition of 3
Rudolf Hess Beach Chairs Originally designed for Death Destruction and Detroit, 1979 media: nickel plated steel. dimensions: 31 x 78 1/2 x 23 3/4 inches dimensions: 22 x 78 1/2 x 23 3/4 inches edition of 9
Marion’s ChaiseOriginally designed for Danton’s Death 1992media: Colorado Yule White Marbledimensions: 24 1/2 x 77 x 13 1/4 inchesEdition of 3
Robert Wilson is a towering figure in the world of experimental theater and an explorer in the uses of time and space on stage. Transcending theatrical convention, he draws in other performance and graphic arts, which coalesce into an integrated tapestry of images and sounds. |
/The New York Times |