Laurie Anderson

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Lore & Background

Laurie Anderson was born in Chicago on June 5, 1947, and grew up in the nearby suburb Glen Ellyn, Illinois, one of eight children. She spent weekends studying painting at the Art Institute of Chicago and played with the Chicago Youth Symphony. She graduated from Glenbard West High School, attended Mills College in California, and after moving to New York in 1966, graduated in 1969 from Barnard College with a B.A. magna cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa, studying art history. In 1972, she obtained an M.F.A. in sculpture from Columbia University. Her first performance-art piece — a symphony played on automobile horns — was performed in 1969. In 1970 she drew the underground comix Baloney Moccasins, published by George DiCaprio. In the early 1970s she worked as an art instructor and as an art critic for magazines such as Artforum, and illustrated children's books — the first of which was titled The Package (1971), a mystery story in pictures alone. Anderson performed in New York during the 1970s. One of her most-cited performances, Duets on Ice, involved her playing the violin along with a recording while wearing ice skates with the blades frozen into a block of ice; the performance ended only when the ice had melted away. Two early pieces, "New York Social Life" and "Time to Go", are included in the 1977 compilation New Music for Electronic and Recorded Media. Many of her earliest recordings remain unreleased or were issued only in limited quantities, such as her first single, "It's Not the Bullet that Kills You (It's the Hole)". In 1977, she was granted an artist-in-residence stay at the Cité internationale des Arts in Paris, France. In 1978, she performed at the Nova Convention. She also worked with comedian Andy Kaufman in the late 1970s. In 1981, "O Superman" reached number two on the UK singles chart, leading to a seven-album recording contract with Warner Bros. Records. Her debut studio album Big Science was released in 1982. She starred in and directed the 1986 concert film Home of the Brave. In 1994, she created a CD-ROM titled Puppet Motel, followed by Bright Red, co-produced by Brian Eno.

Reader's Guide

Laurie Anderson is significant as a pioneer in electronic music and has invented several musical devices that she has used in her recordings and performance art shows. Her work consistently explores the effects of technology on human relationships and communication. She achieved unexpected commercial success when her song "O Superman" reached number two on the UK singles chart in 1981. Her debut studio album Big Science was released in 1982 and has since been followed by a number of studio and live albums. She starred in and directed the 1986 concert film Home of the Brave. Anderson's creative output has also included theatrical and documentary works, voice acting, art installations, and a CD-ROM. She was awarded a Guggenheim Fellowship for Creative Arts — Film in 1982, and honorary doctorates from the San Francisco Art Institute (1980) and the University of the Arts in Philadelphia (1987). Her legacy lies in her integration of language, technology, and visual imagery across multiple media, influencing subsequent generations of artists and musicians.

Did You Know?

• Anderson's first performance-art piece, in 1969, was a symphony played on automobile horns.
• In 1970, she drew the underground comix Baloney Moccasins, published by George DiCaprio.
• Her first illustrated children's book, The Package (1971), was a mystery story told in pictures alone.
• The performance Duets on Ice ended only when the ice in her frozen ice-skate blades had melted away.
• Anderson was awarded a Guggenheim Fellowship for Creative Arts — Film in 1982.