Courtesy of CADRE Laboratory for New Media.
Presented by the Department of Art and Art History at San Jose State University and San Jose Museum of Art
The Department of Art and Art History at San José State University (SJSU) will celebrate the 40th anniversary of the CADRE (Computers in Art, Design, Research, and Education) program with a public symposium at the San José Museum of Art (SJMA). Held in conjunction with the opening weekend of Motherboards, the event brings together artists, designers, scholars, alumni, and students to reflect on four decades of digital media art and its evolving cultural impact.
Founded in 1985, CADRE has been a foundational force in shaping media art education—bridging experimental practice, emerging technologies, and critical inquiry. The anniversary symposium traces a lineage from early digital experimentation to today’s conditions of platformization, automation, and networked labor. Through panel discussions, keynote conversations, performance and the CADRE Open house, participants will explore themes of community, authorship, care, infrastructure and preservation. Open to the public, CADRE 40 positions the museum as a space for critical dialogue—connecting past, present, and future practices of digital media art.
Walk-ins are welcome. Register in advance for fast check-in.
Schedule
CADRE 40 at SJMA
11am: Museum Doors Open
- Welcome remarks from Jeremiah Matthew Davis, Oshman Director and Chief Executive Officer at SJMA, and Andrew Blanton, associate professor and graduate coordinator in the CADRE Media Labs at SJSU.
11:30am: The SWITCH Panel
- A discussion led by both past and current participants of CADRE’s publication Switch Journal. Featured panelists include Geri Wittig, global web producer, Adobe; Danielle Siembieda, systems artist and senior arts industry support manager at the City of San José; and Noura Wedell, Lecturer in Creative Arts, SJSU. Hosted by G. Craig Hobbs, associate professor of digital media art and director of the Paseo Prototyping Challenge and Festival at SJSU.
12:30pm: CADRE Students and the Future
- A panel discussion about the future of CADRE featuring current graduate and undergraduate students. Hosted by Esteban Garcia Bravo, assistant professor of digital media art and spatial art, and MFA candidates Ashleigh Dong and Damaris Guzman.
2pm: The CADRE Archive
- A panel conversation covering the unique challenges and opportunities of archiving digital media art. Hosted by Rhonda Holberton, associate department chair and assistant professor of digital media.
3:15pm: CADRE Digital Swap Meet and CADRE Demos
- A collection of various projects with a swap meet of digital ephemera.
4:30pm: The CADRE Keynote
- Featuring Roger Malina, Executive Editor of Leonardo Publications at MIT Press, and Joel Slayton, Professor Emeritus and Founding Director of the CADRE Laboratory for New Media. Moderated by Andrew Blanton.
For information about directions and parking at SJMA, go to sjmusart.org/visit/getting-here
CADRE 40 at SJSU
6:30pm: Performance Night
Location: Morris Dailey Auditorium, SJSU
A showcase of interactive performances.
9pm–11pm: CADRE After Hours Open House and CADRE CLIPPER: THE MOBILE SHOW
Location: Art and Design Building, SJSU
The closing celebration for the CADRE 40 Symposium will feature installations by current students in the outdoor quad and in classrooms.
6:30pm–11pm: Click on My Mouth: Language and Technology
Location: Thompson Gallery, SJSU
On view through May 22, 2026, this exhibition features artworks made in the Bay Area by Anxious to Make (Liat Berdugo + Emily Martinez); Ahna Girshick; Asma Kazmi, Jill Miller and Kathy Wang; Judy Malloy, Jenny Odell; Genevieve Quick; Abram Stern; and Christine Tamblyn.
ABOUT
The CADRE Laboratory for New Media is the hub of Digital Media Art activity at San José State University where students, faculty, and visiting artists gather to explore the future of technology and art. CADRE (Computers in Art, Design, Research, and Education) faculty and students have participated in the evolution of art and technology for over 30 years. Internationally recognized faculty and award-winning visiting artists award BFA and MFA degrees in Digital Media Art.
The Digital Media Art (DMA) program at San José State University is a multidisciplinary BFA degree offering digital art and design curriculum in the areas of computer graphics, web development, programming, physical computing, 3D printing, fabrication, prototyping, interactivity and computer games. Located in the heart of Silicon Valley, the DMA program is dedicated to the advancement of contemporary technologies through research and experimentation at the intersection of art and science.
Learn more at cadre.sjsu.edu