The world of avant-garde theatre and installation art lost a visionary with the passing of Robert Wilson. His groundbreaking work, which often blurred the lines between mediums, left an indelible mark on audiences worldwide. One of his most memorable pieces in the United Kingdom was the immersive experience titled HG, a monumental work that captivated visitors in London in the mid-1990s.
A Landmark Installation in London's Historic Vaults
My first experience with Robert Wilson's artistry occurred not in a traditional theatre, but deep beneath the streets of the capital. In 1995, the organisation Artangel mounted Wilson's ambitious project, HG, within the atmospheric Clink Street Vaults in the area now known as Bankside. This vast installation was a collaborative effort, devised by Wilson alongside sound artist Hans Peter Kuhn, to commemorate the centenary of a seminal work of science fiction: H.G. Wells's The Time Machine.
A Journey Through Millennia of Light and Sound
The installation was not a passive show but an exploratory voyage. Visitors walked through a meticulously crafted series of theatrical tableaux, each a world unto itself. Wilson's genius for lighting and Kuhn's subtle, immersive soundscapes conspired to create an environment where time itself seemed malleable. The journey transported people across vast stretches of history and geography in mere moments.
One could encounter a stark wartime hospital, then turn a corner to face a chilling scene of medieval warfare, with a rain of arrows frozen in mid-air over a castle reminiscent of Agincourt. These grand historical moments stood in stark contrast to intimate, curated rooms. These smaller spaces felt like personal laboratories or studies, where medicines might have been mixed or small, personal discoveries made, all explored at the viewer's own pace.
The Lasting Haunt of Wilson's Theatrical Vision
In HG, traditional narrative was replaced by sensory and intellectual immersion. While nothing in the conventional sense "happened," the power of the piece was undeniable. The deliberate collision of history and imagination—a hallmark of Wilson's hugely theatrical vision—proved to be a profoundly moving experience. It was a work where time, light, sound, and structure were the primary actors, guiding attendees on a startling, reflective journey.
The legacy of this installation, like much of Wilson's work, is its lingering presence in the memory. It did not simply entertain; it invited contemplation. The carefully constructed ambience and the juxtaposition of epochs created a haunting quality, a thoughtful echo of H.G. Wells's original exploration of time and humanity's place within it. Robert Wilson's ability to transform space and perception remains a towering achievement in modern performance art.
