Digital Manual

The MFAH puts on a watershed exhibition of works by Ed Hill and Suzanne Bloom

Comments (0) By Kelly Klaasmeyer Thursday, Apr 29 2004

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Courtesy of Moody Gallery

Good Life, with its pixilated image of a bottle of Joy, is an ironic ode to consumerism -- and an early example of digital art.

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Through May 23; 713-639-7300

Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, 1001 Bissonnet

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Throughout their collaboration, Manual has worked on the cutting edge of new media, but not because they're technophiles. Their work isn't about technological showmanship; they use technology as a tool. The retrospective was organized by the International Center for Photography in New York and brought to the MFAH by photography curator Ann Tucker, who included additional works. And the exhibition is a tremendous step forward for the MFAH as an institution -- curatorially as well as technically. Installation requirements for film, video and computer-generated works are involved and expensive. And MFAH director Peter Marzio gave Manual prime first-floor space in the Beck building for the show. That's a big deal. The duo had anticipated being consigned to the basement slot currently held by the gunsmithing exhibition.