HOW I MET ROBERT WILSON

A lecture I led about the space, time and house at Watermill Center Summer Program 2015. far back in black, Bob Wilson.

December 2005 was the important moment in my life which turned me as an artist whom work internationally. When I met with Robert Wilson -the towering figure of avant garde theater whom originally from Waco, Texas, USA- in Teater Tanah Air, Taman Mini Indonesia Indah when Change Performing Art and Bali Purnati presented Wilson’s I La Galigo after world tour since 2003. The play was about Bugis mythology, cosmology, legend, epic, as well as holy book pre-Islam Bugis in Sulawesi. I was able to be there because I joined with my foster parents; Andi Ummu Tunru who became dance master and Basri B Sila whom assisted the music director for the piece. Seeing things happens at the backstage was much more complex than onstage. Third day of rehearsal. It was lights and general rehearsal. Everyone was there. The crews, director’s assistances, the performers, except Puang Matoa Saidi, the Bissu, the transvestite spiritual leader for Bugis. he wasn’t there due to his duty to led an annual blessing ritual for the village. Nor manekin or props suitable for spotting the light. Then he shout to me, Rama Soeprapto, the assistant. Asked me a favour to sit onstage. Within seconds. Less than two minutes, I was onstage with Bissu costume. Then I sat while Mr.Wilson directing the lights and every single movements onstage; performers, props, music. I sat still. Eight hours. Still. Untill dinner break. We hand-shaked. He said; “you look beautiful up there!”. What a compliment. I was nervous. But when we met at the dining tent, he grab my hand, brought me to Mrs.Ummu Tunru, then he said to her that he would like to have me at his center.

Then I follow how the universe works. At the end of the day, I found myself already been ten summers at Watermill Center. Working, cleaning, digging, planting, sharing, dancing, cooking, growing, moving with dozen thousands of collections, hundreds of lovely-wonderful artists from all over the world within a place where we were doing what no one else do; Watermill Center.

performed in a butoh piece, Angelus. Choreographed by Ximena Garnica & Shige Moriya (New York-Columbia-Japan) at Watermill Center’s Summer Benefit 2011. Photo by Lovis Dengler Ostenrik.