Laurie Anderson: About Time

Time is one of the most impermanent forms of measurement that humans have devised to help manage life. Do you feel like you’re running out of time? Which way is time going? Are you able to stop time? If so, how? In a series of on-stage conversations, artist, writer, and vocalist Laurie Anderson tackles these questions and more to help us reframe the concept of time and perhaps our perspective on life. 

Laurie has invited a group of her favorite writers, thinkers, and poets to assist us in picturing new and different views of time.

In this final conversation, Laurie is joined by fiction novelist Benjamín Labatut. 

Arrive early to visit Laurie Anderson’s scent and video piece “Uncle Allen” in the Mandala Lab on the third floor. Then, meet at the base of the spiral staircase at 5:15 PM for a docent-led tour. All ticket buyers receive free admission to the galleries.

Other About Time guests include poet Jane Hirshfield (Friday, February 9), writer Tom McCarthy (Friday, February 23), Buddhist philosopher and teacher the Venerable Tenzin Priyadarshi (Sunday, March 24).

This program, originally scheduled for Saturday, March 30, has moved to Sunday, March 31.

About the Speakers

Laurie Anderson is one of America’s most renowned and daring creative pioneers. She is best known for her multimedia presentations and innovative use of technology. As writer, director, visual artist, and vocalist she has created groundbreaking works that span the worlds of art, theater, and experimental music. Anderson has published seven books, and her visual work has been presented in major museums around the world. In 2002 Anderson was appointed the first artist-in-residence of NASA, which culminated in her 2004 touring solo performance The End of the Moon. Her film Heart of a Dog was chosen as an official selection of the 2015 Venice and Toronto Film Festivals and received a special screening at the Rubin Museum, where Laurie joined in conversation with Darren Aronofsky. 

Laurie has made many appearances at the Rubin, and has been in conversation with Wim Wenders, Mark Morris, Janna Levin, Gavin Schmidt, Neil Gaiman, and Tiokasin Ghosthorse. She also hosted the premiere season of the Rubin’s AWAKEN podcast.

Benjamín Labatut is a Chilean fiction writer whose English-language debut When We Cease to Understand the World sought to understand the minds of physicists and mathematicians. His latest work of fiction, The MANIAC, centers on John von Neumann whose discoveries laid the groundwork for computer science and nuclear weapons. This is his first appearance at the Rubin.

This program is supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, in partnership with the City Council.

The Rubin Museum’s programs are made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of Governor Kathy Hochul and the New York State Legislature.

Image credit: Stephanie Diani, 2023