Infinite Mercy

Alan Vega (1938-2016), one of the pioneers of minimalist electronic rock as the co-founder with Martin Rev of the mythical band Suicide, is first and foremost a visual artist active on the new york scene since the end of the 1960s. “Project of Living Artists”, one of the first alternative artist-run spaces in NY open 24/7. Dedicated to all forms of art, music and cinema, it quickly became a showcase for groups such as the New York Dolls, Television and Blondie. In this saturated universe, Vega found an ideal environment for his work, and pursued his musical and artistic careers in parallel. He studied with Ad Reinhardt at Brooklyn College, initially focusing on painting. Toward the end of the 1960s, his interests shifted toward light as he created his first “Light pieces”— assemblages of diverse objects including bulbs, wires, televisions and neon tubes of every shape and colour. Anti-aesthetic, anti-formal, Vega's work embraces the contemporary reality in which he was immersed.