[iDC] Steve Wilson 1/10/11

Paul Vanouse vanouse at buffalo.edu
Sat Jan 15 02:22:01 UTC 2011


Ah what a terrible loss.  Some of the things that I will miss the  
most about Steve was his bottomless curiosity and creative energy.   
Not only did Steve endeavor to survey the big picture of  
technological arts, but he did so in a broad, unselfish, and even  
handed way.  He constantly expanded the boundaries of the field in  
his writing, teaching and tireless archiving of the field.  His own  
practice was likewise continuously open to change and playful  
experimentation.  Thinking back upon his projects of the last 25  
years he seems to have done the work of three diverse artists... and  
all while creating a lasting pedogogical program at SFSU.
What a very fine fellow indeed.  I am dumbstruck and deeply saddened  
by this sudden news.
Paul

On Jan 14, 2011, at 7:34 AM, Danny Butt wrote:

> I only met Steve the once but I've always appreciated the massive  
> amount of work he did to make experimental technological research  
> by artists a valued part of the university landscape. I think all  
> of us working in the new media / arts area owe something to his  
> efforts to establish the field. Sad to hear of his passing, and  
> thankful for the contributions and remembrances here from those who  
> knew him well. I have the feeling that he would prefer to rest less  
> "in peace", but rather with many exciting new projects to undertake  
> in the worlds that follow this one.
>
> Danny
>
> --
> http://www.dannybutt.net
> +64 21 456 379
>
>
>
> On 14/01/2011, at 11:20 AM, Marc Lafia wrote:
>
>> Very sad to hear this. Steve had an extraordinary passion and an  
>> extensive embrace and knowledge of the digital arts and its  
>> importance.
>>
>> Marc
>>
>>
>> On Jan 13, 2011, at 10:20 AM, Joel Slayton wrote:
>>
>>> I first met Steve in 1982.  He was a young professor at SFSU and  
>>> I had just arrived in SF from MIT and was scouting about to find  
>>> out who was doing what where.  Over the years we developed an  
>>> important friendship and professional relationship.  Steve often  
>>> described art as being necessarily responsible as a guardian of  
>>> the cultural frontier.  Whether one agreed or disagreed, Steve  
>>> was firmly committed to the promotion of research, artistic  
>>> experimentation and the challenges of transdisciplinary artistic  
>>> practice.  He will be sorely missed.
>>>
>>> Joel
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> On Jan 12, 2011, at 2:23 PM, Christiane Robbins wrote:
>>>
>>>> I can't tell you how deeply saddened I am to hear of Steve's  
>>>> passing.
>>>> Often not fully acknowledged, he was early force behind the
>>>> advancement of digital media and various conceptual and art  
>>>> practices
>>>> in the SF Bay Area. Not only had he been a colleague, he was a  
>>>> friend
>>>> - full of energy, high spirits and always moving forward.  He (and
>>>> George ) offered me my first university faculty position in the
>>>> unheard of program area of digital media  - right out of graduate
>>>> school which set me on a path that always gave reason for a  
>>>> chuckle.
>>>>
>>>> Many of us in the digital realm who were orbiting around the Bay  
>>>> Area
>>>> in the 90's might not be practicing today had it not been for the
>>>> consistency of his encouragement.  To be sure, this hovered  
>>>> above the
>>>> Sisyphean obstacles placed before him by the mechanisms of the  
>>>> public
>>>> university. That is to say, the persistent  budget cuts by public
>>>> university funding that continually plagued his tenure at SFSU.  To
>>>> say he did his best would be an understatement - and he did so not
>>>> only for the betterment of his own program but he did so to  
>>>> ensure the
>>>> evolution of the field.  The digital media world is in debt to his
>>>> vision, to his energy,  to his good-humored tenacity and to  
>>>> fostering
>>>> a committed community of artists and intellectuals.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Chris
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> On Jan 12, 2011, at 7:06 AM, Trebor Scholz wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> From Molly Hankwitz:
>>>>>
>>>>> FYI, I know Steve was a contributor and respected colleague on  
>>>>> this
>>>>> list.
>>>>> Molly H
>>>>>
>>>>> From: cathy witzling
>>>>> Subject: Steve 1/10/11
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> My dear people,
>>>>> I am so sad to have to tell you that Steve died at about 8:00 this
>>>>> morning, in his sleep. The end was peaceful.
>>>>> Funeral services will be held on Thursday, 1/13/11, at 11:00AM.
>>>>> People are asked to arrive at 10:30AM. The services will be  
>>>>> held at
>>>>> Sinai Memorial Chapel, 1501 Divisadero St., San Francisco, CA  
>>>>> 94115.
>>>>> Please don't send flowers, but you can make a charitable
>>>>> contribution--I will send another email out with the details.
>>>>> Thank you all so much for your love and concern. You meant a  
>>>>> lot to
>>>>> him.
>>>>> Love,
>>>>> Cathy
>>>>>
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>>>
>>> Joel Slayton
>>> Executive Director
>>> ZER01: The Art & Technology Network
>>> 408.250.1981 phone | 408.716.8844 fax
>>> zero1.org
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
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>
>
>
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