Art and technology come together in Cybernetic Gems, a new exhibition celebrating the 40th anniversary of the MFA Computer Arts program at the School of Visual Arts (SVA). On view at at SVA’s Flatiron Gallery in New York City, the exhibition features work by more than 25 alumni, representing a program that has helped shape the creative careers of more than 1,400 graduates.
Spanning generations of artists, from graduates of the early 1990s through the class of 2025, Cybernetic Gems showcases an eclectic mix of creative approaches and media. Visitors can expect everything from animation, filmmaking, photography, and motion graphics to ceramics, digital sculpture, interactive installations, portraiture, and experimental fine art. Together, the works explore the intersections of nature, technology, the future, and human connection.
Since its founding four decades ago, SVA’s MFA Computer Arts program has become an important incubator for multidisciplinary talent. Its alumni have earned nine Student Academy Awards, presented work at major film festivals including Cannes, Sundance, and Tribeca, and seen their creations enter the permanent collections of institutions such as MoMA, the Guggenheim, LACMA, and the Whitney. Others have gone on to influential creative roles at companies including Apple, HBO, Google, and Nickelodeon.
More than a retrospective, Cybernetic Gems celebrates the many directions contemporary art can take when imagination meets technological possibility. It’s also a fitting tribute to an educational program that has spent 40 years encouraging artists to experiment, innovate, and create their own paths.
