I am an artist living and working in Oakland, California. Born and raised in Southern California, I moved to the Bay Area in 1997 to pursue an MFA from the University of California at Berkeley. Since then, my work has been shown at Southern Exposure, Refusalon, the Lab, Traywick Gallery, Lucky Tackle Gallery, Linc Real Art, Oakland Art Gallery, Newspace and Zero One Gallery among others.

 

Much like the moment when a turntable stylus encounters the physical grooves etched into a vinyl record, I am interested in points of contact among visual and linguistic elements within a given piece and the interrelationships established within a particular grouping of pieces. My approach to art making is a playful one, drawing inspiration from pop music - whereby each element serves as a crucial member of a band contributing an essential part to the overall sound.

I am also the Co-Director of Blankspace Gallery in Oakland - an artist-run gallery showcasing emerging contemporary art. Established in March 2006, Blankspace has received wide acclaim from the Bay Area arts community and is a member of Oakland Art Murmur.

In addition to art-making, I have made musical contributions to various pop bands in the Bay Area, including Volunteer Pioneer and Lady Genius.

Jason Byers

Curriculum Vitae available upon request