Knowra Laurie Anderson Laurie Anderson Laurie Anderson is an American performance artist, composer, and musician whose experimental multimedia works combine speech, music, technology, and visual art. Her 1981 song “O Superman” became an international hit.
United States Live : A 1984 live album documenting Laurie Anderson’s multimedia performance work. It collects pieces from the performances that established her distinctive stage language.
Tape-bow violin : An electronic violin that reads magnetic tape attached to its bow to produce recorded sounds. Anderson developed versions of this instrument to make prerecorded material part of live playing.
Barnard College : A private women's liberal arts college in New York City affiliated with Columbia University. Anderson studied art history there before pursuing sculpture and performance.
Lou Reed : An American musician, songwriter, and founding member of the Velvet Underground. Reed and Anderson collaborated musically and were married from 2008 until his death in 2013.
United States National Medal of Arts : An honor awarded by the U.S. government for outstanding contributions to the arts. Anderson received the medal in 2012, recognition of her lasting impact on American art.
Home of the Brave : A 1986 concert film directed by Laurie Anderson, built from songs and performance pieces. The film makes her staging, characters, and electronic instruments visible alongside the music.
Voice processing : The electronic alteration of a voice’s pitch, timbre, or other sound characteristics. Electronic processing lets Anderson shift vocal identity and create distinctive spoken-singing textures.
Columbia University : A private research university in New York City. She earned an MFA in sculpture at Columbia, grounding her work in visual art.
William S. Burroughs : An American writer associated with the Beat Generation and experimental literary techniques. Anderson collaborated with Burroughs, whose fractured narratives resonate with her performance storytelling.
NASA artist in residence : An artist residency program at NASA that connects artists with the agency’s work and expertise. Anderson’s 2003 appointment made her the program’s first artist in residence.
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