Dec 22, 2019

It is with deepest sadness that The Kitchen joins the artistic community in mourning the passing of Woody Vasulka, who, with his partner Steina Vasulka, founded our organization in 1971.

Originally seeking to create a center for artists working in the emerging medium of video, the Vasulkas quickly found their generous and welcoming environment becoming “a home for the homeless” among artists whose innovative approaches across disciplines—particularly music—were in need of a new institutional context.

To this day Woody’s example in art, where he continually pushed boundaries while making work with Steina, provides The Kitchen with its guiding spirit. As the duo wrote in their manifesto for The Kitchen (reproduced in full below): “This place was selected by Media God to perform an experiment on you, to challenge your brain and its perception.” 

We remain deeply grateful for the institution and community Woody created with Steina, and for the opportunity to honor his legacy.

A celebration of Woody Vasulka’s life will take place in Santa Fe on January 19, 2020 from 4–7pm, in conjunction with a memorial tribute screening of the feature documentary The Vasulka Effect . To RSVP, please click here.

Images: 1) From left to right: Dimitri Devyatkin, Woody Vasulka, Rhys Chatham, and Steina Vasulka. Photographer unknown, courtesy the Vasulka Archive. 2) Steina and Woody Vasulka, “Welcome to The Kitchen,” 1971. 3) Steina and Woody Vasulka in Aluminum Nights, The Kitchen, 1981. Photo: © Paula Court.