Word art

Israel is about to get a lesson in the arts of communication when Laurie Anderson brings her unique performance art to Tel Aviv.

By JONATHAN GOLDSTEIN
laurie anderson 224.88 (photo credit: Courtesy )
laurie anderson 224.88
(photo credit: Courtesy )
Laurie Anderson's lyrics often remind listeners of e.e. cummings. However, she adds an endless array of art forms to her poetic performances. Giving multimedia concerts, she engages her audience on many levels - not simply for the duration of the show, but afterwards as well. Israel is about to get a lesson in the arts of communication when Anderson brings her unique performance art to Tel Aviv for a pair of concerts. She is touring to promote the release of her latest album, Homeland. It features her signature style of alternately singing and talking over electronically influenced music. Her latest work makes distinct statements about the post 9/11 world including contemporary warfare, consumer culture and environmental issues. In her lyrics, she uses imagery such as a young American woman joining the army to pay for her education and Palestinians wearing suicide vests. In modern warfare, she says, "anyone can join." The outspoken Anderson has remained undaunted in expressing herself openly throughout her career, be it world conflict or the Man of Steel. Anderson achieved her greatest commercial success in 1981 with the release of the single "O Superman," which reached number two on the UK pop charts. The song is based on the 1885 aria, "O Souverain, o juge, o père" (which she translates to "O superman, o judge, o mom and dad). In it, she weaves song and narrative over an electronic baseline of the repeating spoken syllable, "ha." The nearly invincible superhero, who adheres to a high moral code, is equated with the imperialistic nature of America with an ironic twist. Her music is unrestrained in artistic form and successfully raises questions about her themes rather than seeking answers. She later reprised her controversial hit in a concert in New York City following the September 11th attacks. The song remains as relevant as ever. The consummate artist, Anderson utilizes her variety of gifts in her multimedia performances. She earned an MFA in sculpture from Columbia University and illustrated children's books before turning her attention primarily to music. Her first performance art piece was a symphony played on automobile horns, performed in 1969. Her concerts, at times, encompass a spectrum that includes music, film, mime, visual projections, dance, and spoken and written language, the cornerstone of all of her works. In a phone interview with Ms. Anderson, she related the experience of returning to Israel with that of Ireland. Naturally, it seemed correct to assume her comparison based on the two countries' common experiences with intractable conflict. However, this was not the case and she steered the conversation in an unexpected direction. She noted, that in Israel, like Dublin, "the way people talk is like an art." Though she doesn't understand the language here, the tone of voice and body language reveal to her more about the expressiveness of the culture than words alone, a sentiment consistent with the varied experience that Anderson provides in her art. Her shows promise to engage, provoke thought and controversy and provide a conversation with the audience through several media that will continue long after the curtains close. An additional possible surprise is a guest appearance by her husband Lou Reed of "Walk on the Wild Side" fame. Laurie Anderson performs two shows in Tel Aviv on November 3 at Heichal HaTarbut at 8:45 p.m. and November 4 at Reading 3 on the Tel Aviv Port at 8:00 p.m. For more information call (03) 604-5000 or visit laurieanderson.com.