Response to Robert Wilson documentary

The Documentary we watched on Robert Wilson was thought provoking for a number of reasons. There is no question that Wilson is a visionary: innovative, talented, unique, driven, etc, but my question is this: what sets him apart form all the other innovative, talented, unique, and driven theater people out there?

The issue here is that Wilson, in the realm of Fine Art, is being praised for characteristics that are essential to Theater; namely that theater, on all levels, is a collaborative art form. Many of his works, particularly the earlier ones, put me in mind of Julie Taymore and Bread and Puppet. The key to these and other innovative performance groups (including Wilson's Byrd Theater) is that they seek out talented individuals and then tailor their performances to highlight these talents.

Likewise, I was similarly unphased by the way in which the documentary mapped out Wilson's personal experiences as inspiration for his work. I believe that if you look closely enough at any artist, their life experiences will somehow be reflected in their work. The trick, as an artist, is to figure out HOW to let these influences creep in, and on this point I felt that the film-makers were a bit didactic and heavy handed. Personally, I rely heavily on my experiences in my work. I think of my work as a way to celebrate and dwell on the things in my life that make me happy- I look to these experiences for inspiration, and as a whole the work is a reflection of my positive outlook and my values.

I did admire Wilson's use of time. I thought it was interesting to choreograph everything at such a slow and odd pace; it really goes to show how very little it takes to remove us from the ordinary. That is something I think about visually, and I'm sure I will think back on Wilson's work now that I'm working with video and have the opportunity to utilize time as a variable.