Kunel Gaur shares his love-hate relationship with being a generalist, and DesignTO’s ability to empower creative dialogue.
How would you describe your profession and your practice?
I’m a multi-disciplinary creative with two decades of experience in living a dual life: that of building creative enterprises partnering Fortune 100 clients like Google, Apple, Adidas, and others; and evolving as an artist with successful collaborations with brands like Nike, Dell, Casetify and Ather. It has been both terrifying and satisfying.
Has your work changed over the course of your career?
Of course it has. I have had a love-hate relationship with being a generalist. I started my career with graphic design, moved into mainline advertising, only to leave it five years later to start my own design studio that evolved into becoming a full service creative agency. And last year I co-founded a tech startup that brings together artists and brands through activations using augmented reality. All while evolving my own artistic practice as a designer, creating a body of work that is inspired by architecture, typography and creative writing.
What was your “eureka!” moment that made you realize that art/design was the route you wanted to take?
There was none. It was intuition. Always has been.
Is your work inspired by anything in particular? What turns you on creatively?
My visual style is inspired by functional design and brutalist architecture and design movements that emerged in the 1950s. Other than that I draw inspiration from the rich visual culture of the street.
Which designers or artists inspire you and why?
Ed Ruscha, Sol Lewitt, Kenya Hara, Daniel Arsham, Virgil Abloh, Tadao Ando, Ellsworth Kelly, amongst others.
What was the name of your 2024 DesignTO Festival exhibition, and what did you want attendees to experience?
The exhibition ‘Typogram®‘ which will took place for the entire duration of the Festival – at 2 Fraser Avenue, Toronto – and featured typographic explorations that are heavily inspired by my love for functional design and architecture. There were prints and sculptural pieces of those explorations on display.
How long have you been involved with DesignTO? Why is DesignTO important to the creative community, here as well as abroad?
This is my first year exhibiting with DesignTO. It is important because it gives a platform to the creative community to share, express, and meet like minded people. Festivals like these are where the seeds of future collaborations are sown: discoveries happen, networks are built, ideas become executionally viable, and talent feels at home.
Toronto is a melting pot of creative energy, discourse and dialogue on all things creative. And we need organizations like DesignTO to empower and facilitate the continuity of that dialogue. Especially now when there’s just so much to inform people about and solve for, from AI to Mars.
‘Typogram®‘ is just one of over 100 free window installations, exhibitions and events at the 2024 DesignTO Festival, January 19-28, 2024. Visit the Festival Schedule to learn more about ‘Typogram®’ and other projects.
