As one of Americas premiere multimedia artists, what attracted you to the HD video medium?
Wilson: I’ve worked so much abroad, in Europe and elsewhere, that I am not sure how to answer that question. But one of the reasons I have not been able to work more in the U.S.A. is that we lack the wealth of publicly funded arts institutions that you can find in Europe. There’s less economic pressure and more openness towards experimentation there. As a result, audiences tend to have wider experiences and a better understanding of art. It has also become more difficult to experience other cultures in the U.S. Over the past years, the mood has become more isolationist. For example, every year, it is more difficult to get visas for artists I invite to the Watermill Center, a center for the arts and humanities I founded in 1992 on Long Island near New York City. That’s a great mistake. We need more international public art so we do not lose contact with the wider world.
