JOHN SANBORN | Selected Exhibitions | 2024
2025 (planned)
The Question is the Answer
Solo gallery exhibition of media work, Anita Beckers Gallery, Frankfurt Germany
2024
In C, Too | Slamdance Film Festival
World premiere of the new short film by Sanborn and Dean Winkler.
This work has played at the Philadelphia Film Festival, the Queens World Festival, the Phoenix Film Festival, the Coney Island Film Festival, the Palm Springs Film Festival and many others.
Out of Chaos | Decoding the Obvious
Solo exhibition at the FOG Gallery, San Francisco, CA of Sanborn’s AI/AR platform featuring 50 still image triggers that reveal 50 clips on any mobile device. January 19 to February 25
Notes On Us
Solo exhibition at the Kunsthalle Praha of V+M (acquired by the Pudil Collection) and Mythic Status. February 29 to June 3
Cinedance Atlanta
Projection of Untitled and Luminare on a 5-story tall building in downtown Atlanta, GA. May 3 and May 10 (evenings)
The Language of the Birds |836m
Collaborative work created with composer Sahba Aminiki, writer Zara Houshmand, soloist Marjan Vahdat, The Living Earth Show, David Coulter and members of the San Francisco Girls Chorus. Sanborn stages the work and creates immersive projections. Performed at Gallery 836m, in San Francisco. May 31, June 1
Out of Order | Media Art of John Sanborn
Solo exhibition at MEET Center, Milan, Italy of 6 works from 1978 to 2024. V+M, Mythic Status, Out of Chaos | Frisson, The Body Quartets, The Mind Quartets, and over 35 single channel works. June 5 to August 31
Meet the Media Guru | MEET Center
Evening presentation of works from 1980s to 2024, with lecture. June 18
An Evening of Songs
In person presentation of music inspired single channel works, from 1980s to 2024, at Visual Container. Box, Milan Italy. June 8
2023
The 50th Anniversary Show
Live video-musical-theater work in collaboration with The Residents, commissioned by the San Francisco Conservatory of Music and featuring the San Francisco Girls Chorus. DVD Release on MVD/Cherry Red Records
Scattered Stories
Gallery show of AR/Lidar scans, Gallery Incognito, Paris France
Perfect Lives
Screening of Perfect Lives at Roulette, Brooklyn, NY.
God in 3 Persons | Videoformes
Screening of the feature length video version of this collaborative work created with The Residents.
Book Launch | Paris Photo
Release of Between Order and Entropy, the monograph resulting from Sanborn’s retrospective at ZKM. Debut at the stall of the Anita Beckers Gallery at Paris
2022
Between Order and Entropy
Retrospective exhibition of Sanborn’s work from 1978 to 2022; 14 installed works, over 40 single channel videos, live performance of God in 3 Persons, and catalog. ZKM | Zentrum für Kunst und Medien, Karlsruhe, Germany
Grasping at Straws
Intimate Archeology (series of 10 AR/Lidar works) shown as part of a group show at 5th Floor Gallery, Tokyo. Curated by Stephen Sarrazin.
God in 3 Persons TV
90 minutes television show, directed by Sanborn, based on the live video/theater work created with The Residents. Available on select streaming platforms and DVD.
God in 3 Persons
Live evening length video-musical-theater work, created in collaboration with the Residents; performances in San Francisco at The Presidio Theatre (May), The Alex in LA (June) and ZKM (September).
The Friend VR
Virtual Reality adaptation of The Friend, commissioned by ZKM, premiere at Videoformes 22, Clermont-Ferrand, France.
2021
All Roads Lead@836M
Gallery exhibition with French media artist Agnès Guillaume, at 836m, San Francisco January 21 to May 28
The Friend
Premiere of a 17-channel video and sound installation at Videoformes 21, Clermont-Ferrand, France; featuring John Cameron Mitchell in the title role.
Parade
Multi-media public art commission from the City of Berkeley CA installed in a vacant storefront in downtown Berkeley. September/October
Duck Stab! Alive!
Streaming live in studio concert featuring The Residents. Available on Nightflight Plus.
2020
God in 3 Persons
Live video/theater work created in collaboration with the anonymous music group The Residents, based on their legendary 1988 album. Sanborn wrote the adaptation for the stage, and the creation of digital projections.
Premiered at the Museum of Modern Art, New York in January 2020.
No Lockdown Art
“Prince” presented as part of a streaming exhibition | Transcultures, Brussels, Belgium
Video Poetry Symposium
“Prince” presented as part of a group exhibition, Video Poetry Society, Los Angeles, CA
Ellipsis (replay)
Stained glass and video projection installation | Videoformes Video Bar, Clermont-Ferrand, France
Prince and The Shock of Gary Fisher
Collaborative works with the queer thrash band COMMANDO, with texts and performances by Lynn Breedlove and Juba Kalamka. Released on YouTube and commando.com
Bury My Bone
2:11 | music/video created with The Residents; from their album “Metal, Meat & Bone” Released on YouTube and residents.com
Come Stream with Me
Online screening of 9 works with live, interactive Q&A, organized by the California Film Institute, curated and moderated by Zoë Elton, director of programming of the Mill Valley Film Festival
2019
Alchemy
30 video channels and 20 channel audio installation of, commissioned by the National Museum of Qatar. Premieres March 27, 2019.
Festival Videoformes
March 14 - 30 2019 installation of "Sorry", 2 channel song-based work. Song composed by David Meyer.
NONSELF
Digital interactive online artwork, commissioned by the Jeu de Paume, Paris. Premiered June 17 2019; has drawn over 85,000 views (as of July 2020) with an average play time of 20 minutes. Nonself.me
Alchemy
Permanent Installation | 30 channel video and sound | opened March 27, 2019
Commissioned by the National Museum of Qatar; Doha, Qatar
Sorry
2 channel installation as part of the Videoformes festival of digital art, Clermont-Ferrand, France
NONSELF
Online work commissioned by the Jeu de Paume Museum, Paris France; interactive project that can be played at www.nonself.tv.
En Dehors de Nous
Performance presentation of NONSELF with live dance, music and drawing. With curator Stephen Sarrazin. Jeu de Paume Museum, Paris France
Postcards from Post-America
Solo show of media art works, Gallery Tokonoma, Paris, France
In Translation
Solo show of media art works, Telematic Gallery, San Francisco, CA, USA
City Sonic Festival
Presentation of “Sorry” at this multi-city festival of sound-based art; various venues in Brussels, Liege and Ghent.
2018
NOW (a video art ritual)
Media performance installation created in collaboration with Monet Clark. “NOW” is an actual participatory ritual, installed in a 12-channel configuration. Premiered at SF Camerawork in February 2018.
The things they've seen and the places they've been
“Entre Nous” exhibited in group show curated by Stephen Sarrazin, NNGN Kaii-Building, Tokyo, Japan
An Idea will make this Sound
“A Sweeter Music: Steppe Music”, in group show curated by Stephen Sarrazin, Tokyo University of the Arts, Ueno Campus, Tokyo Japan
Tunnel à Travers l'Olympe
Solo exhibition of six installation works at Gallery Odile Ouizeman, Paris; March –May 2018
Sanborn’s Temptations
Screening of music related works at the legendary Babylon Cinema, Berlin, Germany. Sold out audience of 325.
Knock Once
Evening length screening of video works, ZKM | Zentrum für Kunst und Medien, Karlsruhe, Germany
Festival du Film Court d“Angoulême
Screening Glucose High from The Rest !s Sh!t in the LGBT strand, Angouleme, France.
Entre Nous
Solo exhibition of media works at The Ken Nakahashi Gallery in Shinjuku, central Tokyo, Japan.
2017
Video Art and Experimental Film Festival (VAEFF)
Rushing Like a Banshee (collaborative work with The Residents) at the seventh annual New York festival.
Performance!
A group exhibition celebrating the 40th anniversary of the Centre Pompidou, and their media collection. “Ear to the Ground” shown at Le Tripostal, Lille, France.
Introspective Retrospective
Evening length presentation (done in VJ style) of 40 years of media art, as “Artist in Residence” at the 40th annual Mill Valley Film Festival. Winner of the Mill Valley Film Festival Award | 2017.
Entre Vous et Moi
Installation work created for the 40th annual Mill Valley Film Festival. 3 channels, projected video, stereo sound.
Video et Aprés
Evening length VJ project featuring a high-speed tour of Sanborn’s media art career. Projected at the Centre Pompidou with live commentary by Sanborn and critic Stephen Sarrazin. 90 minutes
Ligne Droite et Cercle
Solo gallery show of new media works (“Tue Mon Amour”, “Entre Nous”, “The White Album” “RED Books: The Same Flowers”) at Galerie de l'Angle, Paris, France; produced by Elisabeth Kepler.
Ellipsis
Installation with video projection and stained glass | 11:35
Created for the festival Vidéoformes. Stained Glass by Jean Lebideau, with Stéphan Bernard and Julien Piedpremier; Music by Dorian Wallace
2016
Rushing Like a Banshee
Collaborative project with The Residents – what happens when speeding modern ideas meet an immovable object. 2:12 Released on YouTube and residents.com
MEANDRES & MEDIAS
Monograph about Sanborn - contributions from Stephen Sarrazin, Jean-Paul Fargier, Florian Gaite, Pascal Lievre, Dara Birnbaum, Bill T. Jones and many others. Publication complete with retrospective DVD.
A Tale of Two Cities
Retrospective exhibition with six installations as part of the Festival Bandits Mages in Bourges, France; October 31st to November 13th 2016. Exhibition included screenings, critical panels and monograph release. Curated by Stephen Sarrazin.
Folle de Toi
Video installation in tribute to Nam June Paik as part of the Trace(s) Festival in Pont Saint Esprit, France.
Shifting Horizons
Solo exhibition at the Bangkok Art and Culture Center consisting of 8 installation works dedicated to the subjects of myth, music and memory. Attendance for the show exceeded 35,000 visitors. March 24th to July 10th 2016. Curated by Stephen Sarrazin.
2015
Dowsing for Divinity
Solo gallery exhibition at Cartel Collective in Berlin, curated by Stephen Sarrazin. Works on the subject of personal mythologies, memory and the detritus of ingenuity.
Indefinitely (or… age speaks to youth about love)
Music by Adria Otte
5:31 | video created for the traveling exhibition “Time is Love”
Rhyme or Reason
3 Channel video and sound installation, music by Theresa Wong, 15 minute loop | premiered at Trace(s) Festival at the Chartreuse de la Valbonne, France
I Don’t Care
Created by John Sanborn, song written by David Meyer and John Sanborn 2015 4:21; premiered at the Mill Valley Film Festival
V+M
9 Channel video and sound installation, music by Theresa Wong, 35 minute loop | co-produced by and premiered at Videoformes in Clermont-Ferrand, France; shown at SF Camerawork in November 2015.
2014
ALLoT (A Long List of Things)
A video memoir created by John Sanborn, music by David Meyer, 90 min. Screened at over 25 international film festivals, including Dallas, Houston, Mill Valley and London.
INTMERATA
Created by John Sanborn 5:00 min. choreographer Laura Bernasconi, music by Theresa Wong; premiered at
Commodity
Created by John Sanborn choreographer Laura Bernasconi, music by Theresa Wong 1:11
Video contribution to the ensemble “Exquisite Corpse Video Project” on the subject of “porn and politics”, organized by Kika Nicolela.
2013
PICO (reMIX)
Created by John Sanborn, 76 min. Music by Theresa Wong, Luciano Chessa, Negativland, Sarah Cahill and John Cage. Premiered at the Mill Valley Film Festival, and screened at over 20 international film festivals, including New York, Dallas, LANewfest.
A Sweeter Music
A series of music inspired videos created with pianist Sarah Cahill, and based on the live performance series of the same name. Premiered at the New York Video Festival.
2012
PICO (Performance Indeterminate Cage Opera) (Live Performance)
New Music Bay Area and video artist John Sanborn presented a live interactive performance event celebrating the centennial of composer John Cage called PICO (Performance Indeterminate Cage Opera) on September 14th, 2012 at the Berkeley Art Museum.
2011
The Planets
Directed by John Sanborn, music by Kyle Gann, 77 min. The film premiered at the Mill Valley Film Festival in October 2011, before being shown at over a dozen film festivals, worldwide. The work is also the media element in a live performance of “The Planets” by Relache. The first live performance was in September 2012, at the Barnes Foundation.
2009
A Sweeter Music | (Live Performance)
Created with pianist Sarah Cahill, live evening-length performance with 3 channel video projection, premiered at Cal Performances, January 2009, Berkeley, CA – performed at Dickenson College, Merkin Hall, NY, and various new music venues.
2007
365 (nascor nasci natus)
Created by John Sanborn, music by John Sanborn, 5 hours in 3 episodes
2004
365 degrees, the angle of incidents
Video Installation, 7 channel projection (each 1 hour loops) with stereo sound, and prop tree festooned with memory ribbons. Created for Festival Videoformes.
2002
MMI
Directed by John Sanborn, music by Paul Dresher, 61:30.The work premiered at the Mill Valley Film Festival - selected to screen at over 20 festivals worldwide, including the Tribeca Film Festival, the London Film Festival and the Madrid Film Festival.
Half-Baked
Directed and edited by John Sanborn, 10 half-hour episodes, developed for the National Lampoon Network
2001
Myst III
Live action director for this best-selling video game. Published by EA Games.
1999
Frank Leaves for the Orient
Created by Michael Kaplan and John Sanborn, Directed by John Sanborn, 10 half-hour episodes, Comedy Central
One False Step | Stargate SG-1
Written by Michael Kaplan and John Sanborn, 2 one-hour episodes; winner of the Huge award for outstanding teleplay
1997
Paul is Dead
Created by Michael Kaplan and John Sanborn, Written by Michael Kaplan, Directed by John Sanborn, 35 interactive episodes, MGM interactive, MSN Network
Tunnel of Love
Video Installation, 12 channels (5 minute loops each), stereo sound, premiered at festival Videoformes
1995
Nothing
Created by John Sanborn, music by various, 1995 120 minutes
Premiered at the Dallas Video Festival.
The 39 Steps | Interactive Story Web
Created by John Sanborn as artist in residence at The Exploratorium in San Francisco, 20 hours of video, interactive system playback.
1994
Psychic Detective
Interactive movie, written by Michael Kaplan, directed by John Sanborn, over 5 hours of live action video, published by Electronic Arts; Shown at the Mill Valley Film Festival, the Sundance Film Festival, Video Berlinale
1993
Sixth Sense
Created by John Sanborn, music by Chris Watkins 1993 4:23
Commissioned by Adobe Systems
EROSION
Created by John Sanborn, music by Chris Watkins 1993 3:53
Commissioned by Adobe Systems.
1992
Quirky: Facts and Friction
Created by John Sanborn, 1992 35:00
Broadcast on the PBS series “The Independents”, hosted by Buck Henry.
Sitting on Top of the World
Created by John Sanborn, starring and music by Rinde Eckert 1992 5:12
Created using Premiere 1.0 and QuickTime 1.2, commissioned by Apple.
Michael Nesmith Live
Directed and Edited by John Sanborn, 90 min.
Released by Pacific Arts
1990:
Infinite Escher
Directed by John Sanborn, music by Ruichi Sakamoto, 8 min
HD Laserdisc commissioned and released by SONY.
Words On Fire
Directed by John Sanborn, Produced for “Alive From Off Center”, 24:30 Broadcast on PBS.
The Eyes Scream: A History of the Residents
Directed by John Sanborn, produced by Rebo Studios, 48:45
Broadcast and commissioned by the BBC.
Artist & Model
Video Installation at Videoformes, 8 channel video and sound, in a hand drawn 12’ by 10’ frame
Woman Window Square
Video projections by John Sanborn for a live performance for the Margaret Jenkins Dance Company. Performed a various international venues.
1989
Untitled
Directed by John Sanborn for “Alive From Off Center” PBS, choreography by Bill T. Jones, 10 min
NHK Media Art Museum
Video produced by John Sanborn and Mary Perillo for NHK DBS serive, broadcast live. Music by John Zorn and band Naked City. 1989 90 min, color, sound
Memories of New Orleans
Created by John Sanborn with Mary Perillo,
60 minute HD program broadcast on NHK HD network. Commissioned by NHK and produced by Rebo Associates.
Middle of the Riddle
Music video for Tangerine Dream
Three Sisters In Ten Minutes
Created by John Sanborn with Mary Perillo, written by Tom Fontana, staring David Hyde Pierce. Screened at over 12 international film festivals, including New York and London.
The Adventures of Kitty Hoy | Episode One: Buzzword, Murder
Pilot for ABC Latenight, written by Michael Kaplan, Executive Producer Michael Nesmith.
1988:
Cause and Effect
Directed by John Sanborn, produced by Rebo Studios for NHK-TV, 1988; screened at over 30 international film festivals, including the New York Film Festival
Endance
Directed by John Sanborn, Produced, commissioned and broadcast by “Alive From Off Center”, PBS, 1988 7:30
Optical Race
Music video for Tangerine Dream
Wonderful
Music video for Rick James
Do You Love Me
Music video from the movie Dirty Dancing
1987
Duet
Created by John Sanborn and Mary Perillo, produced by Don Mischer, 13:00
David Gordon choreographed for PBS' Great Performances series, featuring Mikhail Baryshnikov and Valda Setterfield
Fractured Variations | Visual Shuffle
Directed by John Sanborn, produced by Mary Perillo, choreographed by Charles Moulton, commissioned and broadcast by “Alive From Off Center” PBS, 24:45
Galaxy
Created by John Sanborn, with David Van Tieghem, 5:20
Galaxy is the first all-digitally edited music video for Warner Brothers Records, broadcast on MTV.
Geography | Metabolism
Created by John Sanborn and Mary Perillo, commissioned by “Alive From Off Center” PBS, 24:55
First Prize Winner (Video Art) from the AFI
Hand and Knees
Music video for Sammy Hagar
It’s Love this Time
Music video for Nile Rodgers
1986
Perfect Lives (Private Parts)
Robert Ashely’s opera for television, directed by John Sanborn, produced by Carlotta Schoolman and the Kitchen, commissioned by Great Britain’s Channel 4, 1986; 7 episodes – each 26.30; broadcast internationally.
1985
Luminare
Created by John Sanborn and Dean Winkler, music by Daniel Lentz, 6:51. Broadcast on “Alive From Off Center” on PBS
Ear-Responsibility
Created by John Sanborn with David Van Tiegham, 7:33; broadcast on PBS, NHK, Channel 4
Sister Suzie Cinema
Directed by John Sanborn, Produced, commissioned and broadcast by “Alive From Off Center”, 22:33 Winner of the New York City Award for Excellence in the Arts
So Tranquilizin
Music video for Jamaledeen Tacuma
1984
Renaissance
Created by John Sanborn and Dean Winkler, music by Jamaladeen Tacuma, 1984 5:38 Commissioned by the Computer Museum in Boston, and broadcast on MTV.
Complication Shakedown
Created by John Sanborn and Mary Perillo, music by Sano Motoharu Sano; produced for SONY Records, and broadcast on MTV
1983
Act III
Created by John Sanborn and Dean Winkler, music by Philip Glass, 6:30 Broadcast on MTV, “Alive From Off Center” on PBS, and Nam June Paik’s Good Morning Mr. Orwell worldwide via satellite.
I'm Down
Music video for Adrian Belew; broadcast on MTV
A Gentleman's Honor
Created by John Sanborn and Dean Winkler, music by Philip Glass, 6:30; broadcast on MTV
Nipple to the Bottle
Music video for Grace Jones, broadcast on MTV
re: Soundings
Created by John Sanborn and Kit Fitzgerald, Produced for SUNY/The Arts on Television, 65:00; broadcast on PBS
1982
A Tribute to Nam June Paik
Created by John Sanborn with Kit Fitzgerald, 27:58; broadcast internationally on PBS, Channel 4, UK, Anntenne 2, France, ORTF, Austria, RTB< Belgium
Big Electric Cat
Music video for Adrian Belew
Heartbeat
Music video for King Crimson
Wild Thing
Music video for Jimi Hendrix estate
Ear to the Ground
Music by David Van Tieghem, video by John Sanborn and Kit Fitzgerald 1982, 4:27; Broadcast on “Alive From Off Center” PBS, NHK, Antenne 2, Ghost in the Machine and Mr. Fantasy
Twyla Tharp Scrapbook
Produced by Twyla Tharp and BBC Productions, Directed by John Sanborn and Kit Fitzgerald. 59:00; commissioned and broadcast by ITV, UK
1981
resound
8 channel video and sound installation, Whitney Museum of American Art
Music, Word, Fire, and I Would Do It Again (Coo-Coo) “The Lessons”
From Robert Ashley’s “Perfect Lives” ; Directed by John Sanborn, music produced by Peter Gordon; commissioned by The Television Laboratory 1981 28:30; exhibited in the Whitney Biennale, broadcast on WNET/13 and PBS
Still Life
Created by John Sanborn with Kit Fitzgerald, 1981 7:30
,
1980
Olympic Fragments
Created by John Sanborn and Kit Fitzgerald, Commissioned by the National Fine Arts Committee of the 1980 Olympic Winter Games 10:35; broadcast on Video and Television Review, PBS; ABC-TV Olympic network coverage
Resolution of the Eye
Created by John Sanborn and Kit Fitzgerald, Produced by the TV Lab at WNET/Thirteen 40:15; broadcast on Video and Television Review, PBS
Spectator
Video installation presented at The Kitchen Center.
1978
Interpolation
Created by John Sanborn and Kit Fitzgerald, produced by the TV Lab at WNET, 1978 28:00; broadcast on Video and Television Review, PBS
Paris a la Carte
Created by John Sanborn with Kit Fitzgerald and Don Foresta, Produced by the International Television Workshop and the TV Lab at WNET/Thirteen (VISA series), 28:00; broadcast on Video and Television Review, PBS
1977
Exchange in Three Parts
Created by John Sanborn and Kit Fitzgerald, Produced by the TV Lab at WNET, 28:00; broadcast on Video and Television Review, PBS
Collected Monitor Works
(with Kit Fitzgerald) shown at The Kitchen Center, NY
Artist’s Propaganda 2
(with Kit Fitzgerald and Jean Dupuy), 33:00 shown at The Kitchen Center, NY
1976
Artist’s Propaganda 1
Created by John Sanborn (with Kit Fitzgerald and Jean Dupuy), 33:00
shown at The Kitchen Center, NY
The Last Videotapes of Marcel Duchamp
Created by John Sanborn, 33:00; shown at The Kitchen Center, NY