Robert Wilson's work is vexatious, problematic, reductivist, coded, complex, epic and often awe-inspiring.
In life, ninety-nine percent of people are inarticulate and can only describe things occurring at the apparent level. And that becomes the problem here. By the 45 minute mark, it's very frustrating to see associates given screen time to grasp at, and fail to communicate anything of value about Wilson. We can see that Wilson is an original, that his stuff is unlike anyone's. So there's zero value in hearing someone, often someone who has worked with him at length, trotted on screen to say "Wilson's stuff is unlike anyone's." Well yes, that much we know. I don't need help failing to articulate the meaning of his work... I can do that myself. There'a also a little too much hagiography and fawning. Wilson is clearly revising his own story into a hero narrative as you watch him. It's very off-putting.
Wilson's "ten-minute coffee-break theater" is an amazing idea.
In life, ninety-nine percent of people are inarticulate and can only describe things occurring at the apparent level. And that becomes the problem here. By the 45 minute mark, it's very frustrating to see associates given screen time to grasp at, and fail to communicate anything of value about Wilson. We can see that Wilson is an original, that his stuff is unlike anyone's. So there's zero value in hearing someone, often someone who has worked with him at length, trotted on screen to say "Wilson's stuff is unlike anyone's." Well yes, that much we know. I don't need help failing to articulate the meaning of his work... I can do that myself. There'a also a little too much hagiography and fawning. Wilson is clearly revising his own story into a hero narrative as you watch him. It's very off-putting.
Wilson's "ten-minute coffee-break theater" is an amazing idea.