John Duncan

John Duncan (b. 1953, Wichita, Kansas) is an American multi-platform artist lives and works in Bologna, Italy. Having studied at CalArts, Duncan's practice has explored the cutting edge of performance, video, experimental music, installation, pirate radio and television. In the 1970’s. His work often addresses issues of power, authority, and control, often involving elements of personal risk and danger. Duncan played a pivotal role in the development of performance art in Los Angeles, of experimental music as a member of the Los Angeles Free Music Society (LAFMS), and of Japanese noise and pirate radio in Tokyo. His collaborations, iterations and performances live and documented are numerous.

Duncan’s early works included confrontational performances and public interventions. He also produced a number of audio works, many of which incorporated found sounds, shortwave radio signals and field recordings. Over the years, his work has become increasingly focused on spirituality, ritual, and the subconscious mind.

Duncan has had numerous solo exhibitions in galleries and museums, and his work has been included in numerous group exhibitions. He has lived and worked in Tokyo, Amsterdam and the area of Udine, Italy; he currently lives and works in Bologna. His work remains highly influential in the world of contemporary art, with a pivotal role in the development of experimental music as a member of LAFMS, of Japanese noise and pirate radio in Tokyo.

His music and performance work has been presented at Nicodim Gallery (Bucharest and Los Angeles), Fylkingen, Gallery Niklas Belenius, ZKM, MAK (Vienna), MOT (Tokyo), MACBA (Barcelona), Super Deluxe (Tokyo), CCA Kitakyushu, MOCA, KPFK, The Getty Center, and The Box (Los Angeles), L’Arsenic and LUFF (Lausanne), Raum, Netmage, Decadence and Angelica (Bologna), Ars Electronica and the 2nd Gothenburg Biennial.