Tony Oursler's First Major Japanese Exhibition 'Tech/Gnosis' Opens at TOKYO NODE
Tony Oursler's first large-scale solo exhibition in Japan, 'Tech/Gnosis: Magic, Media, and Art', opened at TOKYO NODE in Toranomon, Tokyo, running from 3rd July to 27th September 2026. Co-curated by Reiko Tsubaki and Alice Nien-Pu Ko, the show spans Oursler's career from the 1990s to new works, including the monumental commission 'Chimera' (2026) and the 25-year-old collaboration 'Empty' with David Bowie and Glenn Branca. The exhibition explores themes of technology, consciousness, belief, and animism, resonating with Japanese cultural sensibilities. Tsubaki highlights Oursler's prophetic insights into social media addiction and surveillance, and his view of technology as amplifying human desire. The show is structured as a non-linear map, moving from 'Specular' to 'Chimera', and includes works like 'C>o++' (2017) and 'Rock 2, 4, 6' (2010). Tsubaki emphasizes that Oursler sees himself as a painter using technology, and the exhibition aims to offer a reflective space for audiences to reconsider the invisible beliefs embedded in technology.
Key facts
- Tony Oursler's first large-scale solo exhibition in Japan, 'Tech/Gnosis: Magic, Media, and Art', is held at TOKYO NODE from 3rd July to 27th September 2026.
- The exhibition is co-curated by Reiko Tsubaki and Alice Nien-Pu Ko.
- It includes the new commission 'Chimera' (2026), a monumental work installed on the 45th floor with 15-metre ceilings.
- The show features 'Empty' (1999-2000), a collaboration with David Bowie and Glenn Branca, finally realized after 25 years.
- Oursler's works from the 1990s and 2000s, such as 'U4EUH' (1991) and 'C>o++' (2017), are highlighted for their prophetic relevance to current issues like social media addiction and facial recognition.
- The exhibition is structured as a non-linear map, moving from 'Specular' to 'Chimera', and includes works like 'Rock 2, 4, 6' (2010) and 'Caricature'.
- Tsubaki notes Oursler's long relationship with Japan, including his first visit in 1987 for the Japan International Video Television Festival at Spiral, organized by Fujiko Nakaya.
- The title 'Tech/Gnosis' emerged from conversations with Tsubaki, Ko, and Oursler, with Oursler coining 'Gnosis'.
Entities
Artists
- Tony Oursler
- Reiko Tsubaki
- Alice Nien-Pu Ko
- David Bowie
- Glenn Branca
- Kim Gordon
- Constance de Jonge
- Mike Kelley
- Tony Conrad
- Tracy Leipold
- Fujiko Nakaya
- Eric Davis
Institutions
- TOKYO NODE
- Arts Maebashi
- Spiral
Locations
- Tokyo
- Japan
- Toranomon
- Maebashi