BWW Preview: Robert Wilson Presents BLACK & WHITE at The National Arts Club in NYC

This season, the commended yet rarely exhibited artist and Director, Robert Wilson presents "Black & White" at The National Arts Club.

Opening on September 28th and running through October 24th, The National Arts Club will celebrate its first major show of the season with a public opening on October 1st and will honor Wilson with the Club's esteemed Gold Medal on October 8th.

The monochromatic pieces span Wilson's much-esteemed career, and include works from 1989 through to 2013. His diptych video portrait of opera singer Renée Fleming is the star piece. It is complemented by a collection of avante-garde furniture designs including the Kafka II Chair, the Scourge of the Hyacinths Chair, the Bessie Smith Breakfast Chair, the Clementine Hunter Rocker and the Headrest for St. Theresa.

The Malady of Death Chair from the 1992 production of "The Malady of Death," written by Marguerite Duras and directed by Wilson, will also be on show alongside the Time Rocker Chair, a piece from Time Rocker, the first of three collaborations between Wilson and Lou Reed from 1996.

Never Blue, the 118 plaster casts of human fingers from 2000, and a collection of sketches and drawings made throughout his career, alongside pieces and fragments that inspired Wilson in his creations, will round out the exhibition.

"I am delighted to put these works on show," says Robert Wilson. "Delving into my archives to create Black & White was a great experience, and I like the juxtaposition of these very modern pieces displayed in the National Arts Club, which is such a historical venue."

Dianne B. Bernhard, Chair, Fine Arts Committee, National Arts Club, comments: "Robert Wilson is one of the rare artists who can work across various mediums without being cemented to any. It is an honor and a privilege to present this complex and captivating series to New Yorkers."

Since the late 1960s, Robert Wilson's productions have decisively shaped the look of theater and opera. Through his signature use of light, his investigations into the structure of a simple movement, and the classical rigor of his scenic and furniture design, Wilson has continuously articulated the force and originality of his vision. Wilson's close ties and collaborations with leading artists, writers, and musicians continue to fascinate audiences worldwide.

About The National Arts Club

The National Arts Club was founded in 1898 by author and poet Charles De Kay, the literary and art critic for The New York Times. Along with a group of distinguished artists and patrons, he conceived of a place to welcome artists of all genres, as well as art lovers and patrons. At the turn of the 20th century American artists began to look towards their own country rather than to Europe for inspiration, and the American art world was alive with energy. The newly formed Club took residence in a mansion on 34th Street, and American art had a new home.

The National Arts Club is located at 15 Gramercy Park South, NY, NY 10003. The exhibit times are 11:00 am to 5:00 pm Monday through Sunday. "Black and White" will run from September 28th to October 24th. It is free to the public. For more information, visit www.nationalartsclub.org or call 212-475-3424.

Photo Credit: Courtesy of The National Arts Club