Barry Gerson was born into a Philadelphia cinema-owning family on the eve of World War II. He was drawn to the underground experimental film world of New York City in his 20s, where he established a reputation as a careful chronicler of the ways in which light intersects with time. He was a darling of the scene well into the 1980s, with major museum showings and top teaching gigs, only to drop out of the scene to better concentrate on his creativity. Over the years, his work has encompassed paintings with photo elements, film sculptures, and now writing.

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In the Spring of 2024, Gerson was the recipient of an Anthology Film Archives retrospective, new film festival showings, and his first starring role in Don Barry, a feature film based on his ideas of art and film legacy.