Avant-garde performer Laurie Anderson will be the 2020 Vanguard Artist at Joe’s Pub, honoring her contribution to American culture and arts. The award comes with a $50,000 prize in addition to a concert residency at the Public Theater concert venue.
Anderson has exhibited work since the '70s, exploring sound technology and visuals.
The artist will run a Sunday evening series from March through December, performing and promoting emerging writers and musicians.
“The end of the weekend is such a no man’s land—an interesting time to play with new combinations,” said Anderson, who adds that she’s excited to explore the theme of politics in her collaborations amid the 2020 election.
Director of Joe’s Pub Alex Knowlton calls Anderson's career “the example of an artist using their work to open conversation about the impact humanity has on our world, both interpersonally and environmentally.”
Currently on stage at The Public is David Henry Hwang and Jeanine Tesori’s Soft Power and Ntozake Shange’s For Colored Girls Who Have Contemplated Suicide/When The Rainbow is Enough.
