JASON DAVID DITMARS
email: jditmars@jditmars.net

BIOGRAPHY

Born in Los Angeles on April 24, 1971, Jason Ditmars has exhibited internationally since 1990. Using electronic technologies to bring interactivity to his sculptures, Ditmars focuses on the interface between the body and the machine, inviting you to engage both physically and intellectually with his objects. Sometimes crass and sparkly, sometimes elegantly functional, the installations create new and fantastic spaces. Jason has an MFA from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago and a BA from UC San Diego, and is now living and working in Berlin, Germany.


SELECTED EXHIBITIONS

“Simultan” – Kunst und Schach,  Galerie Alte Brennerei, Kunstverein Ebersberg, DE
(Curators: Hannelore Sahm & Georg Schweiger)

July 10-31, 2005
Fakespace, HERE Gallery, 145 6th Ave., New York, NY

Jan. 20-Feb. 17, 2001
JASON DITMARS: TheTerrible-Tempered Mr. Bang!
Butler Institute of American Art, 524 Wick Ave., Youngstown, OH

Mar. 19-July 30, 2000
ART2D2 Bathroom Installation, HERE Gallery, 145 6th Ave., New York, NY

Dec. 4-Jan. 8, 2000
Exhibition 1998, Northern Arizona University Art Museum, Flagstaff, AZ

Mar. 26-May 22, 1998
Locker Installation, Gallery 2, 847 W. Jackson, Chicago, IL

Apr. 10-May 9, 1998
Emulsion, Gallery B-12, 1645 N. Ivar, Hollywood, CA

Oct. 17-Nov. 16, 1997
Some Young Fun, Richard Heller Gallery, Bergamot Station, Santa Monica, CA

Sep. 6-Oct. 4, 1997
Inter-penetration, NIU Art Museum Gallery in Chicago, 215 W. Superior, Chicago, IL
(Curated by Marjorie Franklin)

Sep. 5-Oct. 4, 1997
Re:Degenerate, Century Building, 202 S. State Street, Chicago, IL

Sep. 22-27, 1997
Hybrid, Gallery 2, 847 W. Jackson, Chicago, IL
(Curated by Annette Barbier, Paul Brenner, Simon Anderson)

Sep. 5-Oct. 14, 1997
BANG (Venus), School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, IL
Master of Fine Arts Thesis Exhibition

Apr. 5-19, 1997
ARS Electronica 1996, Hauptstrasse 2, Linz, Austria

Aug. 7-14, 1996
Cityspace & the Wheelchair Ramp Interface, San Diego Convention Center, San Diego, CA

Dec. 3-9, 1995
Virtual Wheelchair: A Change in Perspective, San Diego Supercomputer Center, La Jolla, CA

Sep. 9, 1995-1998
Siggraph '95 Art Gallery, Los Angeles Convention Center, Los Angeles, CA
(Curated by Ken O'Connell)

Aug. 6-11, 1995
Siggraph '95 Interactive Communities, Los Angeles Convention Center, Los Angeles, CA
(Curated by Coco Conn)

Aug. 6-11, 1995
InSITE '94: Apparitions, University Art Gallery, UC San Diego, CA
A Bi-National Exhibition of Site-Specific Installation Art

Sep. 23-Oct. 30, 1994
Computer Controlled Sculptures, Mandeville Annex Gallery, La Jolla, CA

Nov. 16-19, 1993
New Drawings & Sculptures, Mandeville Annex Gallery, La Jolla, CA

Feb. 16-19, 1993
8 Large Drawings, Roma Gallery, La Jolla, CA

Jan. 14-28, 1993
3 Drawings and 3 Sculptures, Studio Art Centers International, Florence, Italy

Apr. 18-25, 1992
Italia - U.S.A.: Passion per l'Arte, Palazzo Strozzi, Florence, Italy
(Curated by the Comune di Firenze)

Mar. 20-Apr. 4, 1992
Art-Making Machine, Price Center Plaza, UC San Diego, CA

May 17-23, 1991
Toy Truck, Mandeville Lawns and Plaza, La Jolla, CA

Nov. 23, 1990
Trumpeteer, Scripps Institute, La Jolla, CA Nov. 27, 1990


PUBLICATIONS / REVIEWS

NY arts, "Mob Rule: The Heart of Things" Apr., 1999
Williamsburg Weekly, "ArtSeen" Feb., 1999
Rage Magazine, "The Buzz: Pin Balling" Aug., 1997
F News Magazine, "Shopping in the Art Supermarket" May, 1997
ARS Electronica 1996 Proceedings Catalog Sep., 1996
"Cerberus Bites" CD by DOG FACE (Jason Ditmars & Tadd Fernée) Aug., 1996
Chicago Tribune, "Science shaping art" Apr. 21, 1996
London Sunday Times, "Safer virtual reality" Mar. 17, 1996
Gather/Scatter, "SDSC Vislab supports higher end needs" Dec., 1995
IEEC, "Virtual wheelchair" Dec., 1995
Leonardo On-Line, Vol.3, No.9, "Siggraph '95 Art Gallery review" by A.Bureaud Sept., 1995
VISUAL PROCEEDINGS: Art and Interdisciplinary Programs of Siggraph '95 Aug., 1995
Siggraph '95 Multimedia CD-ROM Aug., 1995
San Diego Supercomputer Center Image of the Week Aug., 1995
San Diego Union Tribune, "La Jolla's InSITE works multifaceted" Oct. 4, 1994
Apparitions Program Sep., 1994
InSITE '94 Catalog & Review Sep., 1994
Los Angeles Times CALENDAR, "Janos Negyesy still bucking the party line" Nov. 7, 1990


TEACHING / LECTURES

2006- Instructor, Introduction to Electronic Design & Construction
    Design Department, Kunsthochschule Berlin-Weißensee, Berlin, Germany
1998-2003

Faculty, Computer Art Department, School of Visual Arts, NYC
    The History of Art and Technology, Electronics for Installations, Microprocessor Control,
    Ideas in Computer Art 2, Thesis Seminar, MFA Physical Computing

2000 Visiting Lecturer, YSU/Butler Symposia on American Art Lecture Series 1999-2000
    Butler Institute of American Art/Youngstown State University
1997 Visiting Lecturer, First Year Program 4D, School of the Art Institute of Chicago for Jennifer Reeder
Visiting Artist Lecture, "Photography: Electronics in Installations", SAIC for Barbara DeGenevieve
1996 Teaching Assistant to Blair Thomas, School of the Art Institute of Chicago
    First Year Program 4D (Time Arts - Video, Sound, Performance, Film)
Teaching Assistant to Shawn Decker, School of the Art Institute of Chicago
    Art & Technology "Smart Machines" (68HC11 Microcontrollers)
1995 Teaching Assistant to Drea Howenstien, School of the Art Institute of Chicago
    First Year Program 4D (Time Arts - Video, Sound, Performance, Film)
Visiting Artist Lecture "New Art & Technology Facilities"
    for Louis Zona, Butler Institute of American Art, Youngstown, OH


GRANTS and AWARDS

ARS Electronica 1996 Installation Art Honorary Mention for Wheelchair Interface 1996
U.S. Grant w/ Brian Duggan for Virtual Wheelchair 1994
U.S. Grant for Mind and Body Environment 1993
UCSD Visual Arts Festival Grant for Group Student Show 1993
U.S. Grant for Mind and Body Environment 1992
U.S. Grant for 4 Large Panels 1992
Honorable Mention in the Drawing Category: Me and You, Before and After, Adam and Eve
    Awarded by Comune di Firenze, Palazzo Strozzi, Florence, Italy
1992
Most Outstanding Achievement in Drawing
    Awarded by Studio Art Centers International, Florence, Italy
1992
UCSD Visual Arts Festival Grant for Art-Making Machine 1991


PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Independent Contractor to installation artist group Artist's Anonymous
    Assisted in construction of The Gunslinger and Other True Stories, as well as Kunst Salon 2007

Aug.-Sep., 2007

Instructor at Kunsthochschule Berlin-Weißensee
    Teaching electronics design & construction in Product Design Department, Berlin,Germany

2006-Present

Faculty, Computer Art Department, School of Visual Arts, NYC
    Teaching various undergraduate classes in Art History, Electronics, and Computer Art
    Teaching graduate classes in Physical Computing
    Advising students on BFA thesis projects

1998 - 2003
Set Design & Construction, Redmoon Theater, Chicago, IL Sep.-Oct., 1997
Curator of Re-Degenerate, Century Building, Chicago Aug.-Sep., 1997
Independent Contractor to Werner Herterich
    Construction for Chicago homes, cabinet installation, doors, walls, electrical, etc.
Apr.-Sep., 1997
Lab Technician: Electronics Facilities, School of the Art Institute of Chicago
    Authorized students on MIG welder, mill, lathe, chopsaw, bandsaws, tapsets, circuit board etching,
    drills, grinders, maintained facilities
1995-1997
Independent Contractor to sculptor Ronen Mintz -- Gambling Machine
    Construction and programming of stepper-motor control unit
1997
Independent Contractor to video artist Chris Bratton, SAIC
    Construction of headlight sequencing unit for New Museum show, NYC
1997
Artist's Assistant to electronic artist Sheldon Brown, UCSD
    Construction of vacuum-form tool for Video Wind Chimes, InSITE '94
1993-1994
Studio Assistant Intern to electronic artist Sheldon Brown, UCSD
    Electronic construction and programming for Siggraph '93, Anaheim, CA
1993
Curator of 1993 Spring Celebration of the Arts, UC San Diego, CA 1993
Gallery Assistant for Passion per L'Arte: Italia - U.S.A., Palazzo Strozzi, Florence 1992


EDUCATION

1995-1997 SCHOOL OF THE ART INSTITUTE OF CHICAGO
Chicago, Illinois
Master of Fine Arts
  Graduate Advisors: Jerry Saltz (Critic)
Chris Bratton (Video)
Werner Herterich (Performance)
Michael Myers (Performance)
Barbara DeGenevieve (Photography)
Shawn Decker (Art and Technology)
Vanalyn Greene (Video)
Steve Waldeck (Art and Technology)

1989-1993

UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA AT SAN DIEGO
La Jolla, California
Bachelor of Arts: Visual Arts (Studio)

Advisors: Alan Kaprow, Sally Ride, Kip Fulbeck, Italo Scanga, Patricia Patterson, Sheldon Brown

1992 PEMBROKE COLLEGE
Cambridge, England
Studied master drawings at British Museum & Fitzwilliam Museum

1991-1992 STUDIO ART CENTERS INTERNATIONAL
Florence, Italy

Studied master drawings at Gabinetto dei Disegni degli Uffizi, Florence, Italy
Studied Michelangelo drawings at Salle de Dessin, Musée Louvre, Paris, France




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