Over the past decade Chicago has enjoyed a reputation as a center for artists within a worldwide subculture of experimentation in electronic media. Knit together by global communications networks, the tendency known as “glitch” or “glitch art” centers around the noisy and colorful errors propagated when electronic media systems and digital encoding are unexpectedly interrupted or misbehave.
Three festivals of “noise and new media” took place in Chicago from 2010 through 2012, with international reach. The ground for the festivals had been prepared by the city’s long history of alternative venues and distribution networks for art and music, particularly its lively electronic and noise music scene, its DIY apartment and cooperative galleries, and its early roots in open culture distribution of video and digital media. The historical messiness of Chicago art, from the Hairy Who on through “dirty new media” and over-the-top laptop audio and video improvisation nurtured a small but receptive audience for glitch. The popularity of glitch eventually attracted mass media interest: Glitch has shown up in mainstream music videos, commercial television and movies, and fashion.
glitChicago presents the work of 22 artists working with glitch in a wide variety of media. All have participated in the city’s glitch art scene, though they may come from other cities and indeed other countries. The two-month long exhibition features wall installations by Melissa Barron, jonCates, A. Bill Miller, Jon Satrom, Lisa Slodki, and Paul Hertz and free-standing installations by Alfredo Salazar-Caro, Curt Cloninger, James Connolly and Kyle Evans, and Channel TWo.
On Friday, September 19 an evening of media performances will include work by A. Bill Miller, Antonio Roberts, James Connolly and Kyle Evans, Jason Soliday, Jeff Kolar, Joseph Y0lk Chiocchi, PoxParty (Jon Satrom and Ben Syverson), Nick Briz, I ♥ Presets (Rob Ray, Jason Soliday, Jon Satrom), Curt Cloninger, Nick Kegeyan, Shawné Michelain Holloway, jonCates, and stAllio!.
The following day, Saturday, September 20, UIMA will host a round table discussion looking at glitch art from an art historical perspective, asking the question: Once we induct glitch art into art history, is glitch art dead?
In keeping with the open nature of glitch subculture, online manifestations of glitChicago will include a portal through which anyone can contribute glitch art to 0p3nR3p0.net, a repository of glitch art. Contributions will be on display during the exhibition.
Guest curator: Paul Hertz
Image:
James Connolly and Kyle Evans
Cracked Ray Tube (installation detail), 2014
17 modified cathode ray tube televisions and computer monitors, interfaced with a custom programmed digital system algorithmically generating audio and video.
Preview exhibit on our Flickr page: HERE