Tony Balko

Tony Balko is a Teaching Assistant Professor in the Film and Media Studies Program at the University of Pittsburgh's Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences. An artist and educator from Smithton, Pennsylvania, he works across moving images, sculpture, performance, and experimental mediums with a focus on labor-intensive creative processes and conceptual seriousness.

His educational background includes:

• BA in Film Studies, University of Pittsburgh (2004)
• MFA in Film/Video, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (2012)

Balko's research explores the intersections of experimental film, video art, sculpture, and performance through interdisciplinary frameworks. His practice emphasizes material engagement and conceptual rigor across unconventional exhibition contexts including museums, galleries, warehouses, digital spaces, and site-specific installations. The work consistently examines how labor transforms ideas into tangible experiences while challenging traditional artistic hierarchies.

Contact:

• tonybalko@pitt.edu
• www.tonybalko.com