Born in Chicago in 1947, Laura Phillips Anderson built an extensive career bridging avant-garde performance, visual art, and electronic music. Educated at Barnard College and Columbia University, she emerged from the New York City scene of the 1970s. Her creative output encompasses diverse roles including poet, inventor, photographer, and filmmaker, often utilizing technology to explore linguistic and visual boundaries.
Early Development and Education
Growing up in Glen Ellyn, Illinois, Anderson studied painting at the Art Institute of Chicago and performed with the Chicago Youth Symphony. Following her graduation from Glenbard West High School, she attended Mills College in California. By 1969, she earned a B.A. from Barnard College, graduating magna cum laude as a member of the Phi Beta Kappa Society. She furthered her formal training with an M.F.A. in sculpture from Columbia University in 1972. During these years, she produced early works such as the 1969 symphony for automobile horns and the 1971 children's book The Package.
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During the 1970s, Anderson gained prominence in the New York art world through experimental performances and sound installations. Her work Duets on Ice involved playing violin while wearing ice skates frozen into blocks of ice. She also contributed to compilations like New Music for Electronic and Recorded Media and performed at the 1978 Nova Convention alongside artists such as William S. Burroughs, Philip Glass, and Frank Zappa. Beyond performance, she worked as an art instructor and critic for publications including Artforum, while maintaining an artist-in-residence tenure in Paris.
Commercial Breakthrough and Multimedia Projects
Anderson achieved unexpected international visibility in 1981 when her single O Superman reached number two on the UK singles chart. This success secured a recording contract with Warner Bros. Records, facilitating the release of her 1982 debut album, Big Science. She expanded her reach into film by directing Home of the Brave in 1986 and providing soundtracks for Spalding Gray productions. Her multimedia practice included hosting the PBS series Alive from Off Center, where she introduced a digitally altered character known as The Clone.
Fast facts
- Born: 5 June 1947, Chicago
- Citizenship: United States
- Education: Barnard College, Columbia University
- Primary Fields: Music, Performance Art, Film
- Major Recognition: Wolf Prize in Arts (2017)
- Notable Recording: O Superman (1981)
- Religion: Buddhism
Questions readers ask
What is Laurie Anderson's primary artistic movement?
Her work is primarily associated with feminist art and the avant-garde scene.
Which major awards has she received?
She received the Guggenheim Fellowship in 1982 and the Wolf Prize in Arts in 2017.
Achievements
- Rome Prize
- Wolf Prize in Arts — 2017
- Instruments: violin and voice
- Genres: performance art
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