HISTORY

 

 

CyberSpace Gallery evolved as the logical conclusion to a series of EZTV-sponsored and co-sponsored art shows and events dealing with computers, dating back to 1983 when EZTV exhibited the work of Dave Curlender. These events, many in collaboration with L.A. SIGGRAPH (including the inauguration of SIGKIDS), were among Los Angeles' only early exhibitions of digital work as art, and stood in sharp contrast to the curatorial policies which dominated the world's museums and galleries, both mainstream and alternative. 

 

In 1985, Robert Gelman & Joan Collins produced an evening long event at the Hollywood Palace, in collaboration with the late Ron Hays, as well as LA-SIGGRAPH, the Visual Music Alliance, EZTV and the California Outside Music Alliance. This was a prototype for many events, large and small to take place in LA and the Bay Area in years again.

In 1990, Gelman and Keyboard Magazine editor Dominic Milano created the CyberArts International Conferences from 1990 to 1992, and presented lectures, artwork and performance from leading international figures in digital culture, including many of the LA Digilantes group, including Victor Acevedo, Michael Wright, Kim McKillip and Michael Masucci. Masucci was the only person to conduct a master class/lecture, exhibit artwork all three years, and create and stage a live multimedia performance involving live dance, techno music, performance art staging and projected video.

CyberSpace Gallery was officially created in 1991 by videomaker Michael Masucci of EZTV and art historian Patric Prince of California State University, Los Angeles, and benefited from their combined long-standing experience in curating, critiquing, and presenting digital and electronic media. It was among the world's first exhibition spaces dedicated to computer art. 

In 1992, with the collaboration of artists Victor Acevedo, Coco Conn, Kim McKillip, Randel Oliver, Michael Wright, and the support of John Dorr and L.A. SIGGRAPH, CyberSpace Gallery began its first series of on-site exhibitions with "Silent Partners" at the EZTV Video Center in West Hollywood. The following exhibitions included digital prints, video installation, animation, interactive art, plasma and neon art, Internet art, and live multi-media. The media attention given to these shows quickly established CyberSpace Gallery as one of the leading centers for a new emerging culture. 

This continued for one year (its intended run) at which time the gallery offered its space to L.A.C.P.S. (the Los Angeles Center for Photographic Studies), which had suffered temporary homelessness, due to scheduling problems with the completion of Re:Solution Gallery. CyberSpace Gallery continued by exhibiting work off-site, at Art L.A.'93. There it was a pivotal part of the show "Fast Art for an Accelerated Culture." For several years, "The EZTV Show" on UHF station KMET offered computer animation from CyberSpace Gallery's roster of artists. 

With the arrival at EZTV of Kate Johnson as general manager, both EZTV and CyberSpace Gallery were able to restructure and evolve. At the time of EZTV's departure from West Hollywood, L.A. SIGGRAPH threw the EZTV/CyberSpace crew a going-away party. 

In 1994 EZTV/CyberSpace moved to EZTV Melrose Ave., a transitional two-year phase while awaiting its own occupancy at the Hollywood Arts Complex. Later that year it presented a group show at Re:Solution Gallery, as well as a one-person show featuring the work of Robert Lowden. Lowden also became part of the Digital Co-op, a series of digital artists-in-residencies at Melrose Ave., which also included Mark Mayer, Mark Gash (who created the organization's Electronic Buletin Board in 1994 and designed the EZTV website in 1995) and Alan Ravick. 

This was an evolution from an earlier "Digital Co-op", founded in 1985 by Joni Carter and Kate Richardson, who donated digital equipment and equipment access to a select group of EZTV regulars: Mark Shepard, Pat Miller, Michael Masucci, Dan Silva and Sondra Lowell. This eclectic group of artists produced and developed projects including EZTV's first public use of the Internet, connecting to writer/scientist Arthur C. Clarke in Sri Lanka. This live, on-air event was produced in collaboration with Pacifica Radio station KPFK on their long-running SciFi show, "Hour-25" as part of the Fringe Festival in Los Angeles in September 1987. 

Timed to coincide with Site Gallery's "Digital Site" show presented in support of SIGGRAPH '95, CyberSpace Gallery's permanent on-line presence was connected. 1996 began with EZTV's realization of its four-year wait to relocate to the Hollywood Arts Complex and the chance for enhanced interactive exhibitions ahead. 

In 1999, as part of EZTV's 20th Anniversary sponsored by the American Film Institute, CyberSpace Gallery had a public space show in the AFI's Apple Lab. Curated by Patric Prince and coordinated by Kate Johnson, the gallery exhibited works, made for and, shown on monitors. The artists exhibited included "Dayashu" by David Em, 3-D stereoscopic work "Maya" by Vibeke Sorensen, groundbreaking 3-D animation "Steady States" by Rebecca Allen, brain wave art by Paras Kaul, assorted pieces by Victor Acevedo and Michael Wright, and 2-D multi- layered animated painting with original music by Robert Lowden. CyberSpace Gallery was also very honored to be presented alongside pioneering Electronic Cafe, Janie Fitzgerald and Erik Dekhoda (all three curated by the AFI's Maija Beeton).

 

Currently, CyberSpace Gallery is expanding with new shows being slated. It does actively look at new artists submitting work and welcomes any submissions.