Trans/Media Arts Cooperative, 1973-78

Delaware Valley Festival of the Avant-Garde 1978 Poster Clip

Historical Site -- Under Construction -- The Original Trans/Media!

Trans/Media was founded in Trenton, New Jersey, in May 1973, and created its final events in September 1978. In those five-plus years, Trans/Media created three Delaware Valley Festivals of the Avant-Garde, more than 75 concerts and events and exhibits, and collaborated in other major projects of the post-Fluxus avant-garde. Though Trenton was a small, rusting industrial city, its position between New York and Philadelphia acted as a magnet for artists who could not find a place in the rigid "scenes" of the major cities. Artists left Trans/Media's incubation to pursue individual careers of worldwide importance in sculpture, music, fabric art, photography, writing, design, poetry and other fields.

Trans/Media preceded college Departments of Transmedia, preceded transmedia storytelling, preceded all exploitations of trans- and multi-media (before it meant computer 'stuff') and ran in parallel with the avant-garde movement in New York, but from a local perspective.

Some sites containing Trans/Media events and activities:

Most of the event recordings that follow are raw, unedited and unprocessed documentation.

Delaware Valley Festival of the Avant-Garde 1978

Trans/Media Benefit 1975

Delaware Valley Festival of the Avant-Garde 1974

Trans/Media Minifest 1973

Other Recordings and Documentation

Here are images of various Trans/Media events from the past, as yet without text. (New photographs have been uncovered of Dashuki Music Theatre performances!)

Chronology of Trans/Media (some dates are unknown, from unmarked photos and recordings)

1973

1974

1975

1976

1977

1978

Help Us Locate Trans/Media Artists

Among Trans/Media artists from 1973-78 are these, with more to be added as their names are re-discovered. Current locations [in brackets] and name at the time of Trans/Media (in parentheses).

Shirley Strock Albright, musician [New Jersey]
Dennis Báthory-Kitsz (Dennis Kitsz), composer (Project Director of Trans/Media) [Vermont]
Jane Branneky, musician [Florida]
Trevor Bryant, sculptor, visual artist [California]
John Burkhalter, musician [New Jersey]
Bob Cantius, filmmaker [Massachusetts]
Judi Cherubini (Charrhoda Jones), artist [Florida]
Claire Chomentowski (Claire Manfredonia), musician, poet [Vermont]
Fernanda D'Agostino (Nanda Schatz), sculptor [Washington]
*Doctor Delectoe, poet [last known: New Jersey, 1970s]
Suzette Dewey (Suki Dewey), dancer, writer [New Jersey]
Janet Engeman (Janet Passow Gillock), musician, artist [Pennsylvania]
*Pam Everitt, musician [last known: New Jersey, 1970s]
Richard Fredette (Ruby Starr), sculptor, visual artist (Administrator of Trans/Media) [New York]
* Maureen E. Gibbons, poet  [last known: Florida, 1990s]
JoAnn Giordano, sculptor [Ohio]
Rev. Glenn of Trees, author [Pennsylvania]
*Phyllis Goldberg, musician [last known: New Jersey, 1970s]
David Gunn, composer [Vermont]
Richard Hass, musician with Zobus [California] deceased
Stephen Haynes, musician with Olduvai [Connecticut]
Ken Kaplowitz, photographer [New Jersey]
*Bob Karan, musician [New Jersey]
Linda Kay (Linda Karan), musician, photographer [New Jersey]
Melissa Kiser, musician [New Jersey]
E. Jan Kounitz, photographer [New York]
Cricket Fox (Cricket Kuser), poet [Vancouver] deceased
Elliott Levin, musician with Olduvai [Pennsylvania]
Laurel Lovrek, architect and painter [North Carolina]
Walter MacNicoll, singer [New Jersey]
Mary Jane Mazuchowski, graphics artist [New Jersey] deceased
Debbie Antanaitis (Debbie Narcini), musician [Pennsylvania] deceased
Jim Nevius, musician with Gloop Nox [New Jersey]
*Jerry Pitt, poet [last known: New Jersey, 1970s]
Gail Pizarro (Gail Sherman), photographer [Wisconsin] deceased
Pam Revesz (Pam Ritterbusch), actress, poet [New Jersey] deceased
Jim Richards, musician with Olduvai [Pennsylvania] deceased
Zoogz Rift (Bob Pawlikowski), musician with Zobus [Washington] deceased
Francis Riesz, musician [New Jersey]
Tom Rollison, musician with Olduvai [California]
*Steve Schatz, visual artist [last known: Massachusetts, 1970s]
*Sam Senoff, musician [last known: Oregon/New Jersey, 2000s]
Mark Sherman, videographer [Washington]
Chuck Snyder, photographer [last known: New Jersey, 1970s]
Bev Synderman (Bev Fisher), artist [Pennsylvania]
*Amy Stephens, musician [last known: New Jersey, 1970s]
John Van Zelm Trubee, musician with Gloop Nox [California]
Vivienne Washburn (Vivienne Pellettieri), musician [New Jersey]
Ben Whitmire, gallery owner and supporter [New Jersey] deceased

*=whereabouts unknown. If you know the current location of any of the above artists or recall a Trans/Media artist not listed here, please contact me. [Updated June 15, 2016]

As They Looked in Trans/Media Days

There are better pictures of some of the T/M folks, but they have yet to be found and scanned from among the thousands of negatives and slides. There are also photos of at least five other T/M people. (Hover mouse for name popup)

Available reel-to-reel recordings not yet transferred from original tapes (partial list)

(Note: These do not include the sources, masters or mixes of DBK's music)

(Note: List of cassettes not yet put together)