Willoughby Sharp

Willoughby Sharp (January 23, 1936 – December 17, 2008), the publisher, and co-founder with writer/filmmaker Liza Bear, of Avalanche magazine (1970-1976), was an internationally known artist, independent curator, gallerist, teacher, author, and telecom activist. Born in New York City, Sharp began his media work in 1967 by shooting a small number of films in 8mm, Super 8mm, and 16mm including “Earth,” (1968, Collection: Museum of Fine Arts, Boston... more

Willoughby Sharp (January 23, 1936 – December 17, 2008), the publisher, and co-founder with writer/filmmaker Liza Bear, of Avalanche magazine (1970-1976), was an internationally known artist, independent curator, gallerist, teacher, author, and telecom activist. Born in New York City, Sharp began his media work in 1967 by shooting a small number of films in 8mm, Super 8mm, and 16mm including “Earth,” (1968, Collection: Museum of Fine Arts, Boston) and “Place & Process,” (1969, Collection: MoMA, New York). After these films, he started producing a prodigious body of video works in 1/2, 3/4 and 1-inch tape. These works included video sculpture, video installations, “Videoviews,” (1970-1974), Videoperformances (1973-1977), cable television programs (1985-1986), and broadcast TV programs (2001-). In February 1969, at the invitation of Hans Haacke, he presented a three-part video installation, “Earthscopes,” at Cooper Union, N.Y., which included the only showing of a video catalogue of the... less