PHOTOMATON: A 25th Anniversary Art Show
Photobooth.net and the 2012 International Photobooth Convention present a special 25th anniversary celebration of the landmark 1987 photobooth art group show, "PHOTOMATON: A Contemporary Survey of Photobooth Art," May 18 and 19, 2012. Featuring original contributions from ten artists, the show will include photobooth-based artwork as well as more recent pieces in a variety of visual media by the artists who originally participated in the show at the Pyramid Arts Center in Rochester, New York, in the fall of 1987.
Participating artists include Jef Aérosol (Lille, France), George Berticevich (California), Herman Costa (New York), Margaret Fox (New York), Dorothy Handelman (New York), Stephan Koplowitz (California), Liz Rideal (London), and Sandy Wassenmiller (Texas). In addition, rare original photobooth work by the curator of the 1987 exhibition, the late Bern Boyle, will also be on display.
In the winter of 1987, New York City artist Bern Boyle organized the first major group show by artists working in the medium of the photobooth. The show, called "PHOTOMATON: A Contemporary Survey of Photobooth Art," brought together the work of thirteen artists from around the world who used the photobooth in a wide variety of ways. The catalog has been a touchstone for photobooth historians and artists in the years since, and many of the artists have gone on to enjoy distinguished careers in the art world, with some even continuing to work with photobooth strips over the last three decades.
At the 2012 International Photobooth Convention, we will pay tribute to this groundbreaking show on its 25th anniversary by displaying original art from the 1987 show as well as showcasing the work of these artists in the intervening years. The show will run both Friday and Saturday. Photobooth.net has produced a catalog featuring selections from the original and now hard-to-find "PHOTOMATON" catalog and present-day updates from the artists. The catalog will be available at the show, or can be be purchased online.
Thanks to Linda Duchin and Liz McGarrity for their assistance, as well as to all of the artists who so kindly shared their time, their memories, and their work.