Transmissions from the Pleroma

Archival documents and new writings on Jerry Hunt, video-art pioneer and electronic magus

Jerry Hunt (1943-93) is sometimes described as a shamanic figure with the look of a "Central Texas meat inspector." One of the most compelling composers in the word of late 20th-century new music, he made work that combined video synthesis, installation art and early computers with rough-hewn sculptures, scores drawn from celestial alphabets and homemade electronics activated by his signature wands and impassioned gestures. Hunt lived his entire life in Texas, between Dallas, Waco, Houston and Austin, eventually settling in a house he built himself ("an interactive environment") on a ranch in Canton, but his pataphysical, abrasive and humorous performances took him all over North America and Europe, where he amassed a small but dedicated following.
This volume represents the first ever book-length collection devoted to the underknown composer's work, and includes an introductory essay by Tyler Maxin and Lawrence Kumpf, interviews with Hunt, detailed analyses of his music and video practices, and remembrances and reflections on his work from his friends and collaborators. Given the diversity of Hunt's practice, this book will be of great interest to scholars, practitioners and enthusiasts in the fields of contemporary art, music and sound art, video and media, and performance. The publication is occasioned by a 2021 exhibition of Hunt's work at Blank Forms.