Ilona Gaynor is a conceptual designer, artist and educator living in NYC. Her research practice employs language and methods from non-visual fields and enterprises such as law, finance, administration and risk; in both their narrative representation and actuary functions as a mode of critical production. Her approach to research is to expand its scope; avoiding confined definitions by inhabiting and subverting it’s form, context, reading and strategy. She combines a range of references and materials including: imagined events and scenarios, documents, legal texts, diagrams, objects, photography, films, plays and fictional texts.
Her work has been exhibited, published and disseminated internationally; including the Design Museum (UK), Palais de Tokyo (FR), The Victoria & Albert Museum, ACC (KR), STUK (BE), Black Cinema House (US), the HMKV (DE), The Aram Gallery (UK) and FACT Liverpool. She was one of the curators of the Biennale Internationale Design Saint-Étienne and was Artist in Residence to Director Ridley Scott.
Her work has been exhibited, published and disseminated internationally; including the Design Museum (UK), Palais de Tokyo (FR), The Victoria & Albert Museum, ACC (KR), STUK (BE), Black Cinema House (US), the HMKV (DE), The Aram Gallery (UK) and FACT Liverpool. She was one of the curators of the Biennale Internationale Design Saint-Étienne and was Artist in Residence to Director Ridley Scott.
She writes regularly for Disegno Design Journal, and has written across a multitude of contexts and structural forms: from published fiction, film scripts, narrative schemata and strategy, to scholarship and long form journalism. She is currently working on a forthcoming book around the subject of the geometries of law and spaces of disbelief.
She has taught extensively across design, architecture and fine art; in institutions such the Architectural Association, KABK, Princeton University, The Bartlett School of Architecture, Royal College of Art and was previously a Professor of Designed Objects at SAIC and is currently a Professor of Industrial Design at RISD. She received her MA(RCA) in Design Interactions from the Royal College of Art, and was awarded the Sir Ridley Scott prize for experimental narrative practice.
She has taught extensively across design, architecture and fine art; in institutions such the Architectural Association, KABK, Princeton University, The Bartlett School of Architecture, Royal College of Art and was previously a Professor of Designed Objects at SAIC and is currently a Professor of Industrial Design at RISD. She received her MA(RCA) in Design Interactions from the Royal College of Art, and was awarded the Sir Ridley Scott prize for experimental narrative practice.
ilona.gaynor(at)network.rca.ac.uk
COMMERCIAL WORK
2009-2011
MA(RCA) Design Interactions
Royal College of Art, London
2004-2007
BA(Hons) Moving Image Design, Ravensbourne College of Design and Communication
ACADEMIC POSITIONS
2024–
Professor-in-Residence
Industrial Design,
Rhode Island School of Design (RISD)
2022-2024
Assistant Prof, Design, Department of Art,
University at Buffalo
2016-2021
Associate Prof, Designed Objects, Department of Architecture, Interior Architecture and Designed Objects School of the Art Institute of Chicago
2020–
Visiting Prof, Speculative Studies, Architectural Association
London, UK
2020–2024
Chair, External Examiner,
BA Interior Architecture
University of Brighton, UK
2013–2016
Adjunct Visiting Faculty, Digital + Media Rhode Island School of Design, Providence, US
2012–2013
Practitioner in Residence,
Interaction Media Design
Bournemouth University, UK
SPEAKING
2024
Artists Talk, Department of Industrial Design Graduate Studies, RISD, RI
Artists Talk, Department of Design, Sheffield Hallam University, UK
Lecture, “Object Film Systems”
Department of Industrial Design, Parsons, The New School, NY
2023
Lecture, “Threads of Deviation: Sleep Capitalism” Department of English MacGill University, Montreal, CA
2022
Visiting Speaker Series, Department of Art, University at Buffalo (SUNY), NY
Lecture, On Counter Hegemonic Architectures Department of Architecture, Vertical Geopolitics Lab, University of Toronto, Daniels (online)
Lecture “Threads of Deviation”, Writers Forum,Department of Writing, Pratt Institute, NY
2021
Lecture, Department of Film; Visual Arts, Instituto Nacional de Bellas Artes y Literatura,
Mexico City
Lecture, Threads of Deviation; A Design History of Sabotage, UTK Department of Architecture + Design, TAAST 2021, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, US
2020
Lecture, The Future of Women’s Work,Media Design Practice, Arts Center College of Design, Pasadena, US
Artists Talk, ABS4, Department of Architecture, Royal College of Art, London UK
2019
Panelist, with Jake and Dinos Chapman, The Architecture Association, London, UK
2018
Lecture, Civil Disobedience,
Industrial Design, Pratt Intitute, US
Master Lecture, Royal Academy of Art, The Hague, NL
Lecture, Speculation, Research and Design Department of Design, California College of the
Arts, San Francisco, US
Lecture, Design Means Lecture Series, Goldsmiths, University of London, London, UK
Artists Talk, University of the Underground, Sandberg Instituut, Amsterdam, NL
Panel and Lecture, “The Voice of the Enemy is Female”,
Civitas at Large, American Pavilion, Venice Architecture Biennale, Venice, IT
Artists Talk, Department of Design, Vilnius Academy, Vilnius, LT
Lecture, Industrial Design Department, Muthesius University of Fine Arts, Berlin, DE
Lecture, Performing Practice, Department of Fine Art,
School of the Art Institute of Chicago, US
2017
Artists Talk, Industrial Design,
Rhode Island School of Design, Providence, US
Artists Presentation, Deep Ocean, Law Warschaw Gallery, Macalester, College, St Paul, US
Panelist, Bauhaus Futures,
Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT), Chicago
Artists Talk, Innovation Day, Tesla Headquarters,
Palo Alto
The Brilliant Women of Design, London College of Communication, UAL, London
Panelist, Bauhaus Legacy? Goethe-Institute, Chicago Architecture Biennial, School of the Art Institute of Chicago
Lecture, Department of Design, Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT), Chicago
Artists Talk, Fashion, Jewellery Department, London College of Fashion, London, UK
Conference Speaker and Panelist; alongside David Byrne, Alice Rawsthorn, Natalie Jeremijenko and Justin McGuirk Utopia vs Dystopia, A/D/O Gallery, Brooklyn
2016
Artists Talk, Materials Innovation Lab, Adidas Headquarters, Portland
Lecture/Workshop, The Comedy of Objects, Second City, Chicago
2015
Artists Talk, Interventions in Capitalism, Research Group, Digital + Media Department, Rhode Island School of Design, Providence
Pecha Kucha, Scale Model as Actor, Mixed Tape Series Chicago Cultural Center, Chicago
Keynote Speaker, Better World by Design Conference, Brown University, Providence, US
Conference Speaker, Tektoniks, ACT Festival, Asia Culture Center (ACC), Gwangju, KR
Speaker (Symposium), Aerials, The Alpine Review Magazine, Toronto, CA
Symposium Speaker, Sleep Science, BBC Radio 4 and The Wellcome Trust, London
Symposium Panelist, We Have Never Been Speculative Enough, Central St Martins (UAL), London
Lecture, ”The Long Con”, The Object Agency, The Victoria and Albert Museum, London
Artists Talk, Department of Film and Television, Staffordshire University, UK
2014
Lecture, C.S.I Design, Crime Scenes and Suspect Objects, Critical and Historical Studies Department,
Royal College of Art, London, UK
Lecture, Narrative Schematics,
University of Gothenburg (HDK), Gothenberg, SE
Artists Talk, FACT, Liverpool, UK
Lecture and Panelist, Welcome to the Apocalypse, Graphic Design Department, Central St Martins (UAL), London, UK
Artists Talk, Masterstudio Design, Academy of Art an Design FHNW, Basel, CH
Artist Talk, Design and the Courtroom, The Design Museum, London, UK
Artists Talk, Design Products
Department, Royal College of Art, London, UK
Keynote, Image Culture Series,
Museum of the Image, Breda, NL
Artists Talk, W12 Studios,
London, UK
Lecture, Designing Deviance, Design Interactions,Royal College of Art, London, UK
2013
Keynote Speaker, Resonate 2014 Belgrade New Media Festival, Belgrade, RS
Artists Talk, Visual Communications, Department, Royal College of Art, London, UK
Artists Talk, Jill Dando Institute of Security and Crime Science, University College London, London, UK
Lecture, Design Fiction and Extreme Scenarios, V2 Institute for Unstable Media, Rotterdam, NL
Artists Talk Industrial Design Department Rhode Island School of Design, Providence, US
Discussion, Ilona Gaynor in conversation with Norman M. Klein, chaired by Glenn Adamson, Super Talks series, Tent, London Design Festival, UK
Lecture (with Benedict Singleton), Stacktivism Unconference, Goldsmiths, University College London
Lecture, Media Department of Design Research, Bournemouth University, Dorset, UK
Lecture, When Site Lost The Plot, Collapse Press, Goldsmiths, University College London, London, UK
Lecture and Panelist, Beyond Design Activism,History of Design Dept, Royal College of Art, London, UK
2011
Artists Talk, Design + Media, Rhode Island School of Design, Providence, US
Keynote Speaker, Emergence Conference, The Future and New Economic Models,
University of Oxford, UK
Lecture, Under Black Carpets, MDP, Art Center College of Design, Pasadena, US
Artists Talk, Department of Risk Science, University of Michigan, Anne Arbor, US
Lecture, Known Unknowns, Studio X, Department of Architecture, Columbia University, New York, US
2010
Lecture, Crossover scenarios, playing in the fields of Big Society, Demos Think Tank, London, UK
2009
Artists Talk, Department of Graphic Design, Nottingham Trent University, Nottingham, UK
Keynote Speaker, 4th Annual Click Conference, Creative Review, Soho Theatre, London,
2023
InSomnolence,
Curated: Alanna Thain and Aleksandra Kaminska, Galerie de l’UQAM, Montreal, CA
2019
Extraperlo,
Curated: Jorge Penades
Madrid Design Festival, Madrid, SP
2018
The Ascent (Radio Play Edition)
VVFA RADIO
Curated: Sitraka Rakotoniaina and Andrew Friend London Design Festival, Victoria and Albert Museum, London, UK
Regimes of Prediction,
Curated: Sabine Winkler,
Galerie Weißer Elefant, Berlin, DE
Dark Oceans
Curated: Jehra Patrick,
Law Warschaw Gallery, Minneapolis, US
Futureproof,
Curated: Ingrid Burrington, Cantor Fitzgerald Gallery, Haverford College,
Pennsylvania, US
Is Technology Sexist? Desktop Exhibition, Curated: Matylda Krzykowski, FNHW Basel and Domus Academy
2017
Curator and Exhibitor,
Commissioned: Olivier Peyricot
Biennale Internationale Design Saint-Etienne, FR
2015
Minus 2 Degrees,
Curated: Disegno,
Aram Gallery, London, UK
Tektoniks,
Curated:Filip Visnjic,
ACT Festival, Asia Culture Center, Gwangju, KR
2014
Disruption,
Curated: Pollyanna Clayton-Stamm, The Design Museum, London, UK
Solo Show, Forensic Ontologies and the Plot, Curated: Gabriella Arrigoni, FACT Liverpool, UK
Oxford Futures Forum, Curated : Lucy Kimbell, Said Business School, University of Oxford, UK
Artefact Festival,
Curated: Hicham Khalidi,
STUK, Leuven, Belgium
Solo Show, Paper Moon,
Curated: Michelle Kasprzak,
V2 Institute for the Unstable Media, Rotterdam, NL
Requiem for a Bank,
Curated: Fabian Saavedra-Lara,
HMKV,Dortmund, Germany, DE
2013
Image, Building, Object: Exploring, Architecture and Design on Film, Curated: Theaster Gates, Black Cinema House, Chicago, US
2012
Lisbon Architecture Triennale,
Curated: Beatrice Galilee,
Mude Gallery, Bank Vault, Lisbon, Portugal
2011
Solo Show, Escape Ecologies
(with Benedict Singleton),
Curated: Andy Weir,
Fine Art Department, Goldsmiths University
Artefacts from Earth TV Channel, Curated: Alex Crichton,
Palais De Tokyo, Paris, FR
SHOW, Royal College of Art,
London, UK
2010
Solo Show, Goldman Sachs, New York
Glitch Fiction,
Paris Design Week,
Curated: Nelly Ben Hayoun
Citi de la Mode et du Design, Paris, FR
Demain c’est Aujourd’hui,
Biennale Internationale du Design, Curated: Claire Fayolle, St-Etienne, FR
2006
Anti Design Festival,
Curated: Neville Brody,
White Gallery, London, UK
Light, Late Series,
Victoria and Albert Museum,
London, UK
REVIEWS and WORKSHOPS
2025
Thesis Critic, BArch, Department of Architecture, RISD, RI
2023
Thesis Critic, Interdisciplinary Design (Objects) Parsons, The New School, New York
2022
Thesis Critic, Counter-hegemonic Architecture, Design Studio 1 Vertical Geopolitics Lab, Department of Architecture University of Toronto, Daniels
Visiting Finals Critic
BArch Architecture and MScd Computational Design Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh
Visiting Project Co-Leader, 4 weeks “What Legal Design Could Be: Towards An Expanded Practice of Inquiry, Critique, and Action”, Department of Law, Northeastern University, Boston, US
2019
Co-Team Lead (Futures Project, MFA) 5 weeks with Ben Hooker and Tim Durfee Media Design Practices (MDP), Arts Center College of Design, Pasadena, US
Thesis Critic, Industrial Design,
(MFA) Pratt Institute, New York, US
Visiting Master Professor (3 Week Workshop) MA, Nonlinear Narrative
Royal Academy of Art, The Hague, NL
Visiting Critic, Critical Futures Lab, (MDes) Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT), Chicago, US
2018
Visiting Thesis Critic, Architecture, (MArch) Rhode Island School of Design, Providence, US
2016
‘Hunting in Transcript’, Department of Digital + Media,
Rhode Island School of Design, Providence, US
External Advisor, Industrial Design, (MFA) Rhode Island School of Design, Providence, US
2015
Project Term Critic, Fashion Womenswear, Royal College of Art, London, UK
Visiting Critic, BA Architecture, Objects and Spaces, Central St Martins, UAL, London, UK
Visiting Master and Thesis Advisor, Masterstudio Design, University of Applied Sciences and Arts – FNHW, Basel, CH
2014
‘Learning from Mr Orange, Mr White and Nice Guy Eddie’, 2015 ACT Festival, (ACC), Gwangju, KR
Guest Project Tutor, Architecture Unit (ADS4) Royal College of Art, London, UK
‘Design Metis’ Masterstudio Design, University of Applied Sciences and Arts – FNHW, Basel, CH
‘Constructing Evidence’ with Cher Potter, Close Closer, Lisbon Architecture Triennale, Lisbon, PT
2012
Examinations Juror, Media Design Practices Arts Center College of Design, Pasadena, US
Guest Professor, Industrial Design “Futures Forum” Umeå Institute of Design, Umeå, SE
2011–2014
Guest Critic, Unit 14 (Interface Architecture) Bartlett School of Architecture, UCL, London, UK
‘Prototyping the Future’ Umeå Institute of Design, Umeå, SE
2012
Visiting Critic and Project Professor,
F13 Architecture Studio, Princeton University, New Jersey, US
Visiting Critic and Tutor, Unit 6 (Unknown Fields) The Architectural Assocation, London, UK
Yearly visiting Critic and Jury, Unit 23, (Imagining the Real), Bartlett School of Architecture,
London, UK
‘Proof of Life’ Digital + Media, Rhode Island School of Design, Providence, US
2024
Essay, Good Night Seattle
2023 Dirty Furniture Journal, Bed Edition, Pages 94–102
ISBN 9780993351150
2021
Essay, Threads of Deviation, Fiction Edition, 2021 Perspecta Journal, No 54, Yale University,
MIT Press, Pages 93–102
ISBN 9780262543811
2019
Violence and the Collapsed Reality, Introductory Essay for Photographer Maya Meissner’s The Cedar Lodge, Zatara Press, Pages 3-8
2018
Blade Runner 2049 (Review), Disegno Journal, Issue 17, Pages 166–169, ISBN 97720487770217
2017
The Ascent (Stage Play–Book), Cite du design, St Etienne Biennale, 52 Pages
Our Attempts to Ascend. Escape Routes and Cosmic Trap-doors (Essay), Working Promise, Cite du Design, Pages 64–66
ISBN 9782912808714
Lock Her Up (Essay), Disegno Design Journal, Issue 14, Pages 100–101, ISBN 97720487770214
2016
Star Wars, The Force Awakens (Review), Disegno Design Design Journal, Issue 10,
Pages 185–188,
ISBN 97720487770210
2014
The Lexicography of an Abusive, but Divine Relationship with the World (novelette) Twelve Tomorrows, Science Fiction Anthology, Edited by Technology Review and Bruce Sterling MIT Press, Pages 47–61
EAN 9780262535601
What We Want is in that Room, Essay (with Benedict Singleton) Architectural Design (AD), Volume 227, Pages 48–53
ISBN: 9781118451854
“Chaos and Carpets” When Site Lost the Plot, Redactions series, Robin Mackay(Editor), Urbanomic Press, Pages 121–147
ISBN-13 978-0957529564
RESIDENCIES and AWARDS
2025
Upcoming
Headlands Center for the Arts Residency in Architecture / Environment, Marin County, US
The Slit Library Resident,
Los Angeles, US
2022–2023
Sociability of Sleep, Artist in Residence and Research Fellowship, McGill University, Montreal, CA
2016
Disegno Design Journal Residency,
Aram Gallery London, UK
2015
Wellcome Trust Art Award
2013–2014
Designer in Residence, The Design Museum, London, UK
2013
Researcher in Residence, V2 Institute for the Unstable Media, Rotterdam, NL
2012
Media Design Practices (MDP),
Summer Research Residency,
ArtCenter College of Design,
Pasadena, US
2011–2012
Artist in Residence to Director
Ridley Scott, RSA Films, London, UK
SELECTED INTERVIEWS Podcast: 29. “Let Offices Be Offices”, The Labour of Sleep,
The Crit, Disegno Podcasts,
Interviewed by Oli Stratford
Interviewed by Tim Maly, Futureproof Catalogue,
Edited by Ingrid Burrington, Haverford Press
Pages 3–6
Etapes Issue 241
Pages 100-104
The Alpine Review, Issue 3, Permanence
Interviewed Boris Anthony
Pages 52–56
When Site Lost The Plot
Interviewed by Robin Mackay,
Urbanomic Press Volume 005,
Pages 121–148
Interviewed by Shona Kitchen,
Disruption Catalogue,
The Design 2014 Museum, London, Pages 19–30
The Ascent,
Interview with Regine Debatty WeMakeMoneyNotArt
Profile Interview
The Design Museum, London
99% Invisible, Interview Roman Mars, Breaking the Bank
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Disegno Issue.20, Critical Works, Funded Pages 23-24
Etapes Issue 241
Pages 100-104
Futureproof Catalogue,
Edited by Ingrid Burrington, Haverford Press
Pages 3–6
Dark Ocean Catalogue, Law Warshaw Gallery
Pages 15–18
Disegno Design Journal, Issue.14
Pages 100–101
Working Promise Catalogue, Cite Du Design Publications
Pages 64–66
The Alpine Review, Issue 3, Permanence
Pages 52–56
Disegno, Issue.9 (Cover and feature) Front Cover and Pages, 72–73, 92–98
When Site Lost The Plot, Urbanomic Press
Volume 005, Pages 121–148
Disegno Design Journal, Issue 8
Pages 42–44
Disruption Catalogue,
The Design 2014 Museum, London
Pages 19–30
Disegno Design Journal, Issue 6
Pages 32
Architectural Design Magazine (AD), High Definition: Zero Tolerance, Edited by Bob Sheil,
Vol 227, Pages 48–53
Landscape with Bird Trap, Para Fiction Novel, Written by Oscar Gaynor. A detailed portraiture of Ilona Gaynor and
The Department of No set over the course of one year, 48 Pages
Architectural Design Magazine (AD), Scarcity Issue,
Edited by Jon Goodburn,
Vol 227, Pages 32–33
WIRED Magazine UK,
Pages 77–78
Biennale Internationale Design Saint Etienne Catalogue,
Page 48
ONLINE PUBLICATIONS The Ascent, Interview with Regine Debatty for WeMakeMoneyNotArt
Filmed Interview, The Creators Project
Objection!!!, WeMakeMoneyNotArt
Fast Company, Designers to Watch and Fear
Dezeen, Coverage of Disruption
Disegno Daily, Objection!!!
Disegno Daily, Reality Isn’t Working
Icon Magazine, Iconeye
It’s Nice That, Disruption Coverage
Design Week, Design in Court
Dazed and Confused Magazine
Disegno Daily, Problems with Design Fiction
Uncrate, Under Black Carpets
WIRED USA, Artist Designs Heist
WIRED UK, Profile of Ilona Gaynor
Another Something and Company, Heists
Hyper Allergic, Under Black Carpets
Lowdown Magazine
The Minneapolis Egotis, Womens Robbery
Core77, Ilona Gaynor wants to know
We Make Money Not Art, UBC Review
Disegno, The United Micro Kingdoms of Dunne & Raby (cited)
Disegno, Under Black Carpets
Boing Boing
Venue Project, Interview with Geoff Manaugh
It’s Nice That, Under Black Carpets
Design Boom
Beautifiul Decay, Designing A Robbery
BLDGBLOG, Do Black Swans Dream of Electric Sheep
Beyond The Beyond, Bruce Sterling, WIRED
We Make Money Not Art, EEIC Review
Blueprint Magazine, Top 10 Graduates of 2011
Creative Review, Profile
FRAME Magazine
TV & RADIO
Interview, The Church of Sleep, BBC Radio 4
The Discovery Channel, The Art of the Heist
VICE TV, Interview with artist about a decisive plane crash, as featured on Creative Applications
T-R-E-M-O-R-S, Arts and Architecture, Radio Magazine
99% Invisible, Interview, Breaking the Bank
Art Uncovered, Breakthru Radio
AIL (Artists In Labs), Resonance 104.4 FM 2012
NNN Nippon News, ‘the women who wants your money, but not at 2012 gunpoint’