Gil Kuno is an artist based in Tokyo, Japan and New York City. Through experiments with audio-visual technology and re-envisioning experiences common within everyday life, Gil aims to push people away from paradigmatic thinking. He takes a whimsical approach in subverting common perceptions of reality. Exaggerated perception and derailed reality are central themes to his work.
Gil Kuno’s work makes use of flip dot display technology from the 60’s often used on bus destination signs. Though normally for text only, they have been manipulated to run animations. Each individual dot is programmed to constantly flip, as it is blown softly by air. Exaggerated sound becomes an important component to the artworks, adding to the phenomenal subject matter the artist chooses to focus on.
He believes that through careful social conditioning, the mind is guided to think within certain patterns. Kuno thus tries to redirect the flow of the mind outside of the set patterns we are taught by society to construct. In his work, he attempts to displace natural activity from its context, revealing an otherwise hidden level of metaphorical absurdity within the ordinary patterns present before our eyes and re-envisions experiences common within everyday life.to construct. In his work, he attempts to displace natural activity from its context, revealing an otherwise hidden level of metaphorical absurdity within the ordinary patterns present before the eyes of people.
Gil received his MFA at UCLA in California. He has achieved recognition from Ars Electronica, Japan Media Arts Festival, Canon Digital Creators Contest, Timothy Leary (Leary.com), among others. He has exhibited and performed at The National Art Center Tokyo, The Hammer Museum (L.A.), Castillo de Rivoli (Italy), Ars Electronica Center (Linz, Austria), Konak Museum (Belgrade, Serbia), Tokyo Photography Museum, Torrance Art Museum (L.A.), LACE Gallery (LA), Fuji Rock Festival (Naeba, Japan), Y++ (Beijing), Laforet Harajuku (Tokyo), The Melkweg (Amsterdam), Schouwburg (Rotterdam), etc. Gil Kuno also has collaborated with artists such as Eye Yamantaka (Boredoms), Yoshimi (Boredoms, OOIOO), Battles, Vincent Gallo, Ken Ishii, Tatsuya Yoshida (Ruins,) Carl Stone, Alec Empire (Atari Teenage Riot), Steve Albini (Big Black, Shellac), Cristian Vogel, Zbigniew Karkowski, Merzbow, GX Jupitter Larsen (The Haters), Nissennenmondai, Christian Galarreta, Joseph Hammer, and Patric Catani (EC8TOR).
