MUSEUM OF THE MOVING IMAGE COMMISSIONS SIX ARTISTS 

TO CREATE ANIMATED GIFS FOR ELEVATOR INSTALLATION

The GIF Elevator debuts Thursday, June 1 with an artist panel discussion and reception

Astoria, New York, May 17, 2017—Museum of the Moving Image has selected and commissioned six artists, illustrators, and animators to create a series of animated GIFs that will be exhibited as four-screen moving-image installations in its visitor elevator. Titled The GIF Elevator, the year-long series of installations will debut new work by Mr. Div (Matt DiVito), Dain Fagerholm, Render Fruit (Clara Luzian), Lorna Mills, Paul Robertson, and Rafia Santana. Each artist will produce four original GIFs that will be exhibited on the walls and ceiling of the Museum’s elevator, an exhibition environment that offers a unique and intimate encounter with the work. The GIF Elevator is made possible by support from GIPHY Arts.

The first installation, Yellowwhirlaway, by Lorna Mills, opens on Thursday, June 1. At 7:00 p.m. that evening, the Museum will present a conversation with participating artists including Mills, Matt DiVito, and Rafia Santana moderated by Jason Eppink, MoMI Curator of Digital Media, and Ari Spool, Community Curator at GIPHY. This will be followed by a reception with music by DJ Marty McSorley and GIF Dance Party, a collaborative real-time installation that turns dancing guests into animated GIFs.

“Since the GIF was introduced in 1987 as a data format, it has become the subject of an unlikely series of reinventions. The GIF is now an important site of cultural and artistic expression; an established and pervasive form defined in part by silence, brevity, shareability, and most importantly, the loop,” said Museum curator Jason Eppink. “The participating artists in this series of installations represent some of the most important and influential GIF makers today.”

With the opening of each installation the commissioned GIFs will also be published on GIPHY.com. Each installation will be on view for two months (see schedule below).

The GIF Elevator commissions

Lorna Mills
Yellowwhirlaway
June 1–July 30, 2017

Mr. Div (Matt DiVito)
August 2–October 1, 2017

Rafia Santana
October 4–December 3, 2017

Render Fruit (Clara Luzian)
December 6, 2017–February 4, 2018

Dain Fagerholm
February 7–April 1, 2018

Paul Robertson
April 4–June 3, 2018

From its inception in 1988, Museum of the Moving Image has presented innovative digital media works alongside more traditional moving-image media. In 2012, the Museum began presenting exhibitions and installations centered on GIFs as art and language while also exploring its role in popular culture on the Internet. These have included We Tripped El Hadji Diouf: The Story of a Photoshop Thread (initial presentation: June 15–October 14, 2012), Under Construction (December 4, 2012–February 24, 2013), A Tribute to Heather, an installation by Evan Roth (February 27–June 30, 2013), The Reaction GIF: Moving Image as Gesture (initial presentation: March 12–May 15, 2014), and How Cats Took Over the Internet (August 7–February 21, 2016). In addition, for the 2015 First Look Festival (January 9–18, 2015), the Museum commissioned seven artists from around the world to create animated GIFs, which were presented in a theatrical setting.

About Museum of the Moving Image
Museum of the Moving Image (movingimage.us) advances the understanding, enjoyment, and appreciation of the art, history, technique, and technology of film, television, and digital media. In its stunning facilities—acclaimed for both its accessibility and bold design—the Museum presents exhibitions; screenings of significant works; discussion programs featuring actors, directors, craftspeople, and business leaders; and education programs which serve more than 50,000 students each year. The Museum also houses a significant collection of moving-image artifacts.

About GIPHY
GIPHY is GIFs. The first and largest GIF search engine, GIPHY is where thousands of artists, brands, and pop culture moments make today’s expression, entertainment, and info a little more moving. Search, Share & Make All The GIFS!

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Image: Yellowwhirlaway, 2017 (one of four GIFs), Lorna Mills. Museum commission. Courtesy of the artist.

Press contact: Tomoko Kawamoto, tkawamoto@movingimage.us / 718 777 6830

MUSEUM INFORMATION
Hours: Wednesday-Thursday, 10:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Friday, 10:30 to 8:00 p.m. Saturday-Sunday, 11:30 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. 
Museum Admission: $15 adults (18+); $11 senior citizens (65+) and students (18+) with ID; $7 youth (ages 3–17). Children under 3 and Museum members are admitted free. Admission to the galleries is free on Fridays, 4:00 to 8:00 p.m.
Film Screenings: Friday evenings, Saturdays and Sundays, and as scheduled. Unless otherwise noted, ticket are $15 adults / $11 seniors and students / $7 youth 3–17 / Free for members at the Film Lover and Kids Premium levels and above. Advance purchase is available online. Ticket purchase may be applied toward same-day admission to the Museum’s galleries. 
Location: 36-01 35 Avenue (at 37 Street) in Astoria.
Subway: M (weekdays only) or R to Steinway Street. W (weekdays only) or N to 36 Avenue.
Program Information: Telephone: 718 777 6888; Website: movingimage.us
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