Ben Uri Research Unit

Born: 1974 USA

Year of Migration to the UK: 2003

Biography

Artist Michael Takeo Magruder was born in 1974 in the USA. He earned a BA in Biological Science from the University of Virginia in 1996, where he was exposed to cutting-edge digital imaging and computing technologies. While his formal education rooted him in scientific disciplines, his artistic knowledge is entirely self-taught. His fascination with art and technology began early; during his youth, he built his first computer and often visited art galleries and museums. This unique blend of scientific training and artistic curiosity laid the foundation for his interdisciplinary practice.

In 2003, Magruder moved to England, where he established himself as a leading figure in digital and new media art. His practice centres on integrating Information Age technologies into artistic expression. By utilising real-time data, digital archives, virtual reality environments, mobile devices, and artificial intelligence, he creates works that explore media criticism, digital formalism, computational aesthetics, and aesthetic journalism. His art critically examines the interconnected, media-rich world of today, often through interdisciplinary collaborations that merge art, academic research, and public engagement. By leveraging online metadata, including page views and user interactions, Magruder constructs artworks that reveal how intangible digital elements can take on a tangible, artistic form. This process exemplifies his broader interest in how data shapes modern narratives.

Magruder integrates traditional craft techniques—such as woodwork and gilding—with advanced technologies like VR simulation, UV illumination, and algorithmic design. This blend bridges the material and the digital, encouraging audiences to explore the interplay between tradition and innovation. Hidden numerical, geometric, and logical associations are often embedded within his works, inviting viewers to uncover these latent layers and engage more deeply. By fusing traditional and contemporary elements, Magruder prompts reflection on how digital technologies are reshaping perceptions of history and spirituality. Known for their modular structure, his immersive exhibitions adapt to various sites, creating experiences that draw audiences into the narrative and encourage interaction on a deeper level. His works address complex themes while also highlighting the dual nature of technology, revealing its capacity for both creation and destruction.

One of his most notable projects, De/coding the Apocalypse (2014), was developed during his Leverhulme Trust artist-in-residence position at King’s College London. The accompanying exhibition, held at Somerset House in London, reinterpreted the Book of Revelations through digital media installations, blending traditional Christian art forms with virtual reality, 3D printing, and live data. Inspired by the original meaning of ‘apocalypse’ as an ‘unveiling,’ Magruder drew on his experiences growing up during the Cold War, where the tension between religion and technology shaped his artistic perspective. The project explored this duality, reflecting on the evolving role of religion in the Digital Age. Another major work, Imaginary Cities (2019), was commissioned by the British Library. This solo exhibition transformed 19th-century urban maps from the Library's digital collection into fictional cityscapes using advanced computational techniques. By merging historical analogue materials with modern digital processes, the project reflected on the evolving role of archives in the Digital Age. Magruder’s art often addresses pressing social issues, including migration and conflict. In Lamentation for the Forsaken (2016), he responded to the Syrian Civil War, while Zero Tolerance (2018) explored the US southern border crisis. His immersive VR installation A New Jerusalem (2014), which won the Lumen Prize for Immersive Environments in 2015, envisioned a utopian city inspired by the Book of Revelations.

Magruder has undertaken numerous research and residency positions at prestigious institutions. Notably, he worked as an artist and researcher at the 3D Visualisation Lab at the University of Warwick (2003–2005) and in the Department of Digital Humanities at King’s College London (2005–2014). From 2012 to 2014, he was an artist-in-residence in the Department of Theology & Religious Studies at King’s College London, collaborating with academics on projects that bridged contemporary art and theological inquiry. Over the past 25 years, Magruder’s projects have been showcased in more than 300 exhibitions across 35 countries. Prominent institutions that have exhibited his work include the British Library in London, Pompidou Centre in Paris, and Tokyo Metropolitan Museum of Photography. His art has been supported by organisations such as the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, Arts Council England, and the National Endowment for the Arts in the United States. In recent years, Magruder has held residencies at the UK National Archives ([re]Encoding the Archive, 2021) and the MDI Biological Laboratory’s Arts Meets Science programme, where he continues to develop innovative works in collaboration with researchers. As technology evolves, Magruder continues to navigate the challenges of preserving the authenticity of his work, ensuring that it remains relevant and accessible to future audiences. His work is not currently represented in UK public collections.

Related books

‘Prophetic Visions, Digital Horizons: An Interview with Michael Takeo Magruder’, Poetics Today, Vol. 41, 2020
Joe Lloyd, ‘Imaginary Cities’, Studio International, 17 May 2019
Aaron Rosen, Brushes with Faith: Reflections and Conversations on Contemporary Art (Eugene: Cascade Books, 2019)
Michael Takeo Magruder, ‘The Memory Institution/Data Archival Perspective’, in Janet Delve and David Anderson eds., Preserving Complex Digital Objects (London: Facet, 2019)
Michael Takeo Magruder: (re)mediation_s 2000-2010 (Peterborough: Peterborough Museum & Art Gallery, 2012)
Michael Takeo Magruder : i-kon (London: The GMI, 2001)

Related organisations

King's College London (researcher)
Leverhulme Trust (recipient)
University of Virginia (student)
University of Warwick (researcher)

Selected exhibitions

[re]Encoding the Archive, National Archives, Kew, London (2021)
Imaginary Cities, British Library, London (2019)
De/coding the Apocalypse, Panacea Museum, Bedford (2018)
De/coding the Apocalypse, Inigo Rooms, Somerset House, London (2014)
The Nether Realm, installation, Royal Court Theatre, London (2014)
Data_Sea v2.0, installation, Electronic Visualisation & the Arts (EVA) London, London (2014)
PRISM, installation, Cultural Institute at King’s College London, London (2014)
Vanishing Point(s) and Communion v2.0, installation, Digital Humanities 2010, King’s College London, London (2010)
Data_Sea v1.0, installation, Thinktank Science Museum, Birmingham (2009)
Addressable Memory, touring exhibition, South Hill Park Art Centre, Bracknell (2009); MediaMaker venues, Shrewsbury (2008); Brindley Arts Centre, Cheshire (2008); Gibberd Gallery, Harlow (2008); Peterborough Museum & Art Gallery, Peterborough (2007)
Communion v1.0, 20-21, installation, Visual Art Centre, Scunthorpe, Lincolnshire (2005)
[element]al, Norden Farm Centre for the Arts, Maidenhead, Berkshire (2003)
[element]s, Phillips Gallery - Brewhouse Art Centre, Taunton, Somerset (2001)
¿ikon?, installation, Warwick & Leamington Festival, Leamington Spa, Warwickshire (2001)
¿Transcendence?, Alsager Gallery, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester (2000)
Archive, installation, Warwick & Leamington Festival, Warwick (1999)
Michael Takeo Magruder, Lanchester Gallery, Coventry University, Coventry, West Midlands (1998)

Ben Uri archive

Consult items in the Ben Uri archive related to [Michael Takeo Magruder ]

Ben Uri Research Unit

for the study and digital recording of the Jewish, Refugee and wide Immigrant contribution to British visual culture since 1900.

Michael Takeo Magruder artist