Thomas Porett
610_616_3881 SKYPE
tporett at dimagery.com
Brief Biography
Thomas Porett specialized in extended media, creating large scale projection pieces and
began using computer based imagery in 1980.
Since then he has been involved in creating computer based multimedia pieces that combine
photographic and video imagery along with original sound compositions. In addition
he has created a series of documentary video works that are extensions of his work dealing
with contemporary American culture.
This site contains examples from a large body of printed works and samples of video works.
Education:
B.S., University of Wisconsin; M.S., Institute of Design, Illinois Institute of Technology
Occupation:
Professor, Director of Electronic Media, Coordinator of Digital Fine Arts,
The University of the Arts, Philadelphia.
Visiting Professor, School of Visual Arts, NYC (1987-93).
Visiting Professor, University of Illinois, Chicago (1981-82)
Resident Artist, Haverford College, Haverford, PA 2006
Selected Exhibitions of Video/Photographic Work:
Video Works:
Mud Architect: a 26 minute documentary of artist William Daley creating a ceramic pot while discussing his
philosophy of art and ideas about making art.
Harmonizing is a 26 minute documentary of the doo wop group "The Emeralds"
that originally formed in the mid-1960s. The Vietnam war interrupted their progress and a key member
Jerry Tempesta, was critically wounded and "lost singing in my heart". In the mid-1990s Jerry and another
original member, Joe Porpora, re-formed the group that includes three other members including
Richie Grasso a Philadelphia songwriter with 93 credits listed with BMI. It is the story of five "brothers"
that have established a solid musical reputation in this region and continue to pursue their ambition
for success and vocal excellence.This piece was selected to be part of Philadelphia Stories 5,
and was aired on WYBE, Philadelphia summer and fall 2006.
Electronic Poems a DVD consisting of nine visual/music works created from a complex panoply
of multiple imagery and digital music. Five of these were selected for broadcast on the Moov art channel
of the Voom high definition satellite network.
FightNight, a twelve minute documentary of an evening of prize fights held in Philadelphia.
It consists of a series of interviews, fights, ring girls and associates of the game.
TATTOO 2, thirty minute documentary of the Second Annual NYC Tattoo Convention
TATTOO 3 a twenty five minute piece on the Third Annual NYC Tattoo Convention
COWBOY ACTION SHOOTING, a sixteen minute documentary of this odd sport growing in popularity
among older retired individuals that combines guns and nostalgia for the “Old West.”
Photographic / Digital Exhibitions:
Two works, "Intersections" and "Shadow Walking" invited to be shown at the Performance & Intermedia Festival
19 – 20 June 2010, Szczecin / Poland /
82nd Annual International Competition: Photography, The Print Center, Philadelphia 2008
Interpretations: Photographs of the Haverford College Landscape, solo exhibition. 2006
Pre-emptive D'gustation: a mixed media instalation as part of the Operatioin Rapid American Withdrawal
1970 - 2005 exhibition Philadelphia.
"Taken by Design" Art Institute of Chicago, Illinois, San Francisco Museum of Art,
Image included in the catalog/book from show.
Ninth New York Digital Salon, NYC,
IMAGINE 2001, Gävle, Sweden, Photo 2001 & 2002,
Monique Goldstrom Gallery, NYC,
Eighth New York Digital Salon, NYC; Digital Landscape, Silicon Gallery, Brooklyn, NY;
Siggraph 2000 Art Show, New Orleans, LA;
Intersections, Silicon Gallery, Philadelphia;
CrossWaves Festival, Annenberg Center, Philadelphia;
Digital Vision-Digital Voice, Painted Bride Art Center, Philadelphia
(inter)Active: electronic art channels, Trenton State College;
Philadelphia Art Now: Artists Choose Artists, Institute of Contemporary Art, Philadelphia;
ARTIFICES, Paris; Digital Image - Digital Photography, Dallas;
SIGGRAPH Art Show, 1982, '83, '85, '86, '87, '91, '99; International Painting Interactive 1992;
Art-in-Science V, University City Science Center, Philadelphia;
New Spirit of Photography, Fashion Institute of Technology, NYC;
Digital Visions, IBM Gallery, NYC;
Electra Exhibition, Musée d' Art Moderne, Paris; PIXIM, Paris
Awards:
Guggenheim Fellowship - Photography 1971, UICA research grant,
UArts Faculty Grants 1983, 1985, 1993, 1995, 2003
WYBE Philadelphia Stories 5 2005
MIND TV Philadelphia Stories 2011
Published images in the following books:
Art of the Digital Age,
Neo-Impressionism: Artists on the Edge,
Art of the Electronic Age,
Taken by Design,
Design Principles & Problems,
Photographing in the Studio,
The Complete Printmaker -Techniques/Traditions/Innovations,
Making Art Safely,
Philadelphia Images,
Digital Imagery; Digital Visions,
Photographic Possibilities,
Introduction to Visual Literacy,
Drawing with Computers,
Photography,
The New Photography,
High Contrast,
Photography: A Handbook of History, Materials and Processes,
Frontiers of Photography,
The Art of Photography,
Vision and Expression
Computer Mediated Electronic Image and Sound Pieces 1981 to 2004:
americAmiracle,
Hymns of the Republic,
Mystery Street,
Deceptions,
Timeline,
Victims,
Patrianostra,
Ikons: An Interactive Image Journey,
Mosaic Transforms,
Masks,
Animal Dreams,
Softlands
World Wide Web Art sites:
ArtPrints http://www.dimagery.com/
Multi/Art http://www.dimagery.com/multiart
theBeautiful http://dimagery.com/theBeautiful/ambeau.html
Curatorial:
Philadelphia; University City Science Center, Art-in-Science V,
University of Scranton Art Gallery,
Symposium on Small Computers in the Arts annual exhibitions.