Gerald O’Grady has passed away

Gerry O’Grady has passed away peacefully the morning of March 26, 2019. With him an epoch goes by, which he has stamped his signature.

BY PETER WEIBEL

O’Grady was one of the grandiose men who recognized the importance of media for society, politics and culture earlier than others. As an astonishing erudite scholar, as a fortunate energetic manager, as a brilliant academic and as an infinite lover of the art of the moving image, he created probably the most productive, constructive and appealing environment for the study of media.

O’Grady led the media revolution in Buffalo in the early 1970s: He established the Center for Media Study at the New York State University at Buffalo and Media Study/Buffalo as a not-for-profit image center for Western New York in 1972. While Media Study/Buffalo acquired and lent media equipment to novice and accomplished artists and documentarians, the Center for Media Study formed a creative ensemble of visiting artists to educate graduate students. A steady stream of internationally regarded guest lecturers found an anchor for their activities at the Center for Media Study with an equally internationally acclaimed assembly of resident faculty-artists (Tony Conrad, Hollis Frampton, Paul Sharits, the Vasulkas and others) from every media discipline.

A legendary media scholar

O’Grady’s voice in the field of media was heard globally: He even established centers for visual learning in China and South America. The ZKM was his partner in some Verbi-voco-visual experiments (Marshall McLuhan, 1967). Together with Steina and Woody Vasulka I mounted at ZKM the innovative exhibition MindFrames (2006/2007) about the mind-set he has cultivated in Buffalo and the history of the achievements of Media Study in Buffalo. O’Grady has invited me in 1984 to join the faculty of the media department of the New York State University in Buffalo, where I stayed until 1989. It was a great honor and learning opportunity for me! I am deeply indebted to the friendship that O’Grady has granted me and to the intellectually stimulating atmosphere he has created. God bless Gerry O’Grady.