William J. Horrigan

Columbus - William J Horrigan, age 73, died suddenly on May 15, 2025 after a long battle with amyloidosis. Bill was raised in Joliet and attended St Paul the Apostle Grade School, and Joliet Catholic High School (class of 1969) before continuing his education at Loyola University and Northwestern University, where he received his PhD in cinema studies. After working at the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis and the American Film Institute in Los Angeles, Bill moved in 1989 to become the film/video curator at the newly created Wexner Center for the Arts at the Ohio State University. He spent 34 years at the Wexner, initially as the founding director of the film/video program and then as curator at large, which expanded his reach beyond film projects and allowed him to work across media, including projects with renowned photographers, painters, sculptors, and multimedia installation artists. In addition to creating one of the country's destination film/video departments outside of a major art-world hub, Bill also oversaw the development of Wexner's Art and Tech Production Studio, where artists were given access to filmmaking resources and technical support that would be otherwise unavailable to them.

His accomplishments and projects are too numerous to list but include serving as a curatorial adviser for the 2008 Whitney Biennial, co-curating 1989's Video Against AIDS, and developing projects with Chris Marker, Julia Scher, Todd Haynes and Christine Vachon, Annie Leibovitz, Catherine Opie, and John Waters, among many others. The relationships and projects he formed with both new and established artists are part of his lasting legacy. Bill's tenure at and contributions to the Wexner are legendary and will be acknowledged with the establishment of The Bill Horrigan Study Collection at the Columbus Museum of Art, comprised of his library, writings, correspondence, and other materials for future researchers.

His character was as formidable as his intellect, and much of Bill's success can be attributed to his unfailing generosity of spirit. His unassuming demeanor concealed an embarrassment of riches, notably his unique wit, curiosity, openness, and genuine interest in people. Spending time with Bill always created a sense of camaraderie, and his emails and conversations guaranteed a thrilling ride, veering off on tangents literary, insightful, and hilarious but ultimately leaving a lasting feeling of a shared humanity. Bill was one of eight children born to John and Margaret Dailey Horrigan. He was preceded in death by his parents, his brothers Patrick and Peter Horrigan, sister Margaret Christopher, and nephew Eliot Horrigan. He is survived by his sisters Anne Horrigan, Betsey (Tim) Carlin, and Kate (Doug) Mohundro, his brother Stephen Horrigan, and eleven nieces and nephews. Cremation will be followed by interment at Resurrection Cemetery in Romeoville, Illinois. A celebration of Bill's life will be held in Columbus at a later date.