Robert Beavers attended Deerfield Academy but left in 1965 before graduating to pursue experimental filmmaking. He lived in New York City until 1967 when he and his mentor-partner, Gregory Markopoulos, left the United States for Europe, where they continued to make avant-garde films until Markopoulos' death in 1992.

European art and architecture largely inspired Beavers. His films are equally noted both for their intricate mosaic-like structure and exquisite framing as well as their insightful exploration of history and art. Most of his films were shot in the seventies and eighties in Italy, Switzerland, and Greece.

Beavers founded Temenos, Inc., a non-profit devoted to the preservation of his and Markopoulos' work. Both men always resisted any commercial impulses and kept a distance from major contemporary American experimental cinema. To this day, strict control is maintained over the exhibition of his work.