Laura Phillips 'Laurie' Anderson (b. June 5, 1947) is an American avant-garde filmmaker, artist, and musician. She was born in Chicago, Illinois, and attended Mills College in California before moving to New York City in 1966, where she continued her education at Barnard College and graduated in 1969 with a bachelor's degree in art history. She earned an M.F.A. in sculpture from Columbia University in 1972. Her career as a performance artist began in 1969 when she performed her first performance art piece, a symphony played on automobile horns. She continues to work to this day and lives in the Tribeca neighborhood of New York City. She was married to musician and songwriter Lou Reed from April 2008 until he died in 2013.
