“I collected a number of photographs of members of my family, and decided, as a tribute to both parents, their children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren, that I would make a film just from the photos of my family.”

-Lillian Schwartz

By the time pioneering computer artist Lillian Schwartz created Pictures from A Gallery in honor of her recently deceased mother, she had spent 18 years as a “resident visitor” at Bell Laboratories, the research wing of AT&T. Decades before computers were small enough to fit on desktops, in our pockets, or strapped to our wrists, and when processing power would take days to generate an image, Schwartz created groundbreaking digital artworks. Bell Labs granted her access to cutting-edge technology, space to work, and scientists and musicians who were eager to collaborate. Throughout her decades-long career, Schwartz's multi-media works have been exhibited at such prestigious museums as the Museum of Modern Art in New York and the Centre Pompidou in Paris.

A Cincinnati native, Schwartz grew up a large Jewish family in Clifton. Despite a day-to-day life affected by economic hardships and bigotry, Schwartz’s mother nurtured her daughter’s creativity and encouraged the young artist to draw on the walls of their home, play the violin, and form sculptures from bread dough. At age 13, Schwartz began working in her older brother’s Newport dress shop, fashioning jewelry from rhinestones that fell on the floor. She joined the US cadet nursing program, attending the University of Cincinnati’s nursing school, and was stationed with her husband, a doctor, in postwar Japan. The couple then settled in New Jersey, where Schwartz began her career as an artist. Her kinetic sculpture Proxima Centauri, exhibited in the Museum of Modern Art exhibition The Machine as Seen at the End of the Mechanical Age, led to her invitation to Bell Labs in 1968. She continued her work there, making computer-mediated films, videos, animations, optical effects and art-historical analyses, until 2002

Schwartz passed away in October 2024 after a long and prolific career. CAC’s presentation of Pictures from A Gallery honors this innovative artist in her hometown.

CAC major annual operating support is provided by ArtsWave, the estate of Henrietta Barlag, Bartlett Wealth Management, Ronald Bates + Randy Lasley, Gale + Dave Beckett, Jim Cheng, Robert + Debra Chavez, James A. Cheng, DaSci Consulting Group LLC, Nicholas Dunigan, Dianne G. Dunkelman, Leslie + James T. Fitzgerald, Jr., Fort Washington Investment Advisors Inc., Friedlander Family Fund, Amy Goodwin, Greater Cincinnati Foundation, Andrew Howe Family Foundation, The Johnson Foundation, Maria Kalomenidou + Yannis Skoufalis, Dr. Marcia Kaplan + Dr. Michael Privitera, Eric Kearney, Kettering Family Philanthropies, Claudia Kohlman, Emily Kokenge + David Kitchings, The Kroger Company, George + Linda Kurz, Bruce Lazarus + Phil Weintraub, Patrick Mathews, Rick Michelman + Karen Meyer, the Ohio Arts Council, Denise Osterhues, The P&G Fund of The Greater Cincinnati Foundation, Jennie Rosenthal, The Rosenthal Family Foundation, Thomas R. Schiff, John J. + Mary R. Schiff Foundation, Rosemary + Mark Schlachter, Stuart + Roz Schloss, Brian Sedra, The Louise Taft Semple Foundation, Mu Sinclaire, Mary Taliaferro, Sara + Michelle Vance Waddell, and Chris Varias.

Curated by

Theresa Bembnister, CAC Curator