In 1961 you went to London to study for five
At the end of my first college semester at NYU in
years, exploring British and European art and
1967, the Arab-Israeli war known as the Six Day war
culture. What influence did this experience have
added a tense dimension to an already heightened
on you?
tension of the Vietnam War, affecting academic life
and disrupting classes at NYU and everywhere.
Going to England and continuing my schooling in
Having just enrolled as an undergraduate, there was
London opened a broad horizon for exploration and
still a long period of study with many courses in the
discoveries. It was a great period of study and travel,
arts and sciences. In 1968, a series of terrible events
offering opportunities to visit and see great places,
swept the country, with violence and increased
museums, and art centers in England and Europe and
tension creating a depressed atmosphere that brought
gain first-hand knowledge of the works of great artists
all sorts of reactions from different perspectives and
of different periods. The close contact greatly
walks of life. There were huge demonstrations, along
influenced the development of my interest in art.
with cultural and political activities drawing strong
participation from various figures that included
You studied at New York University, where you
artists, poets and musicians. I became immersed in a
received a BA and MA in art history and
lot of artistic activities, making artworks that seem to
philosophy, before you committed yourself to
flow with a succession of images requiring deep
painting in 1968. What led you to make the
concentration of focus and development.
decision to choose a life in art?