On view: March 11 – April 7, 2017
Opening Reception: Saturday, March 11th, 6pm – 10pm
Open Saturday Evenings and by appointment

FELT B4E is an exhibition of digital art projects produced by FELT Zine in collaboration with artists: Terrell Davis, Jeremy McKeehen, Ruby Gloom, Rafia Santana, Jawn Billetes, Simon Falk, Nicole Ruggiero, Jess Audrey, Kim Laughton, and more. Curated by Mark “Digital” Sabb, the exhibition features new videos and gifs by Net Artists associated with FELT; virtual reality simulations within physical installations inspired by the Y2K aesthetic; live video streaming; and interactive digital art experiences. The exhibition is on-view March 11 through April 7, 2017.

Along with being a semi-amalgamation of B4BEL4B and FELT Zine, the title of the exhibition is a nod to the slang that becomes a part of global daily internet language which is often inspired by black American youth culture. We hope the playful title coupled with net art’s deceitfully glossy aesthetic creates a welcoming, inclusive atmosphere, providing the ability for all of to connect on a deeper psychosocial level.

FELT B4E is an emotional state we could not escape after what has transpired over the last few months in our global and local communities. We’ve celebrated some of our highest personal achievements along with fighting some of our hardest losses in public such as the Ghost Ship tragedy, and the rise of global populism. Now, as much as ever before, the artist is being called upon to be an activist, and the creative community is answering that call with care, innovation, and ambition.

B4BEL4B and FELT came together through a mutual dedication to the lives of the underrepresented and at-risk. FELT B4E is the collaborative exhibition which resulted from this bonding, a collection of artistic responses to physical and mental trauma of our generation. FELT Zine was created with the idea that net art could be a purely democratic form of expression by enabling anyone with an internet connection access to tools of creation with very little barriers to entry. FELT B4E presents works by artists working in digital media which exemplify this ideal. As much as this exhibition is about believing that we can overcome oppression, it is about hoping that we can believe in ourselves and one another to still make the changes for which we have been wishing.