Christopher Knowles - In a Word

The artistic career of Christopher Knowles (born 1959) began at the age of 13, when his writings and recordings came to the notice of avant-garde theater director Robert Wilson. Still a teenager, Knowles went on to write the libretto for Wilson and Philip Glass’ opera Einstein on the Beach, and his collaborations with Wilson would continue for decades. His practice spans many mediums—text, sound, painting, sculpture and performance—and exhibits a fascination with the materiality of language. In a Word is the most comprehensive look at Knowles’ work to date, published for his exhibition of the same name, organized by Anthony Elms and Hilton Als. Containing an autobiographical text by the artist himself, new texts by Elms and curator Lauren Digiulio and a personal reflection by Als, this is an essential resource on an under-recognized artist.