In Conversation: Fred Wilson
“I like working with beautiful things as well as the ugliness of history.” —Fred Wilson
Join renowned artist Fred Wilson for a virtual conversation with Dr. Gannit Ankori, Henry and Lois Foster Director and Chief Curator, as they discuss his ground-breaking practice. Known for transforming museums into spaces of discovery and dialogue, Wilson draws from history, art, literature, and everyday life to challenge cultural narratives and reveal what has been overlooked or erased.
This conversation will spotlight Fred Wilson: Reflections, currently on view at the Rose Art Museum. The exhibition spans decades of his work, from his signature black-and-white glass sculptures and flag-inspired paintings to the debut of his monumental new immersive installation Black Now! (2025), a bold meditation on the power, symbolism, and infinite possibilities of the color black.
ABOUT THE ARTIST
Fred Wilson (b. 1954) has been represented at institutions and in biennials around the world, including Southeastern Center for Contemporary Art, Winston-Salem, North Carolina; Whitney Museum of American Art, New York; Center for Art Design and Visual Culture at the University of Maryland, Baltimore; and the 50th Venice Biennale. His many accolades include a John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation “genius” grant (1999). Born in the Bronx, he obtained a BFA from State University of New York at Purchase in 1976. Before establishing himself as a practicing artist, Wilson worked as a freelance educator at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, American Museum of Natural History, and the American Craft Museum (now Museum of Arts and Design), and also served as the first director of the Longwood Arts Project in the Bronx.
This program is held in conjunction with the exhibition, Fred Wilson: Reflections, August 20, 2025–January 4, 2026.