Byron Black is a multimedia, video and performance artist, born in Texas in 1940. Due to his family's involvement in the Air Force, he travelled extensively during his childhood to such countries as Germany (1946) and Spain (1960). He graduated from Allen Military Academy and the University of Texas (B.A. in Linguistics). He later worked, taught and studied in Japan on several occasions since 1962, in Thailand since 1968 and in the Philippines since 1977. He was involved in the anti-Vietnam war movement (he ate his draft card with ketchup on it) and fled to Canada in 1970 to escape the F.B.I.. Byron Black was active in the Vancouver media and art scene between 1970 and 1980. He taught video and created works in Japan from 1984 until 1986. He produced a personal documentary of the Karen war of independence in Burma (1980-1986). He then returned to live and work in Canada in the fall of 1986, with an invitation from Oboro.