MTAA

1996–

MTAA (M.River & T.Whid Art Associates), formed in 1996, is a conceptual and net art collaboration of Michael Sarff (b. 1967; Iowa City, Iowa) and Tim Whidden (b. 1969; Elyria, Ohio). MTAA has presented work in New York at the New Museum, MoMA PS1, Postmasters Gallery, and Artists Space; as well as at the Experimental Media and Performing Arts Center (EMPAC), Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, New York; the 2010 01SJ Biennial, San Jose, California; the Walker Art Center, Minneapolis; the Beall Center for Art and Technology, University of California, Irvine; the Getty Center, Los Angeles; and the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA). Their work also has been shown at international venues including ARTBOOM Festival, Krakow, Poland; iCommons Summit ’07, Dubrovnik, Croatia; Split Film Festival, Croatia; and the Second International Video Art Biennial, Tel Aviv. They have earned commissions, grants, and awards from Creative Capital, 01SJ Biennial, EMPAC, SFMOMA, Rhizome, Eyebeam, and New Radio and Performing Arts, Inc (1981–2017).

Wikipedia entry

Introduction

MTAA (M.River & T.Whid Art Associates) is a Brooklyn, New York-based conceptual and new media art duo composed of M.River (Mike Sarff, born 1967) and T.Whid (Tim Whidden, born 1969). The two artists founded MTAA in 1996. Their often-humorous studies of networked culture, the economics of art and digital materials take the form of web sites, videos, installations, sculptures and photographic prints.

Their all-time greatest hit is the "Simple Net Art Diagram". Some of their other known web art works are "Five Small Videos About Interruption And Disappearing" and "1 Year Performance Video" commissioned by Turbulence.org. Recent participatory works include "Automatic for the People," commissioned by the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art and included in The Art of Participation: 1950 to Now; "ARTBarn," a group-assembled public building/sculpture; and "All the Holidays All at Once", presented at Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum.

Their work has been presented by institutions like The Whitney Museum of American Art, SFMOMA, The New Museum of Contemporary Art, The Getty Center and Eyebeam Atelier. International exhibitions include the Seoul Net & Film Festival in Korea and Videozone2 - The 2nd International Video Art Biennial in Israel. The collaboration has also earned grants and awards from the Creative Capital Foundation, Rhizome.org, Eyebeam Atelier, New Radio and Performing Arts and the Whitney Museum's Artport website.