Laurie Anderson Shares Three Rules for Life with Striking Performance Art Piece

Laurie Anderson delivered a striking combination of life advice and electronic performance art during Return of the Buffalo: Tatanka Owe Akupi in Brooklyn earlier this month, and a clip of the moment has since begun making the rounds online. During the September 19th procession through Downtown Brooklyn, Anderson revisited three rules for living that she developed with her late husband, Lou Reed: “Don’t be afraid of anybody.” Second, “Get a really good bullshit detector and learn how to use it.” And finally, “Be really tender.” Anderson has shared versions of the rules for years, including while accepting Reed’s posthumous induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2015. During the performance, Anderson turned her own body into an instrument, striking her chest and limbs as booming electronic percussion punctuated her words. The technique recalled her 1986 “Drum Dance,” in which Anderson wore a suit embedded with sensors that triggered different sounds depending on where she tapped her body. She then brought attention to the anger she sees around her today, urging the crowd to look beneath it rather than simply react. Invoking the teachings of a Buddhist teacher, Anderson s...