UTA Signs Glenn Kaino, Visual Artist And Filmmaker Behind ‘Derek Delgaudio’s In & Of Itself’

Visual artist and filmmaker Glenn Kaino has signed with UTA for representation.

He looks to further expand into film and TV following the outsized success of In & Of Itself, which he and his longtime creative partner Derek DelGaudio produced, both for stage and screen.

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In & Of Itself is a one-man show, written and performed by DelGaudio, which draws on his gobsmacking skills as an illusionist and performance artist. It brings together elements of art, magic and storytelling to upend notions of identity and self.

The show enjoyed a 72-week run on stage, at New York’s Daryl Roth Theater. A subsequent film documenting the experience debuted at the 2020 SXSW Film Festival, where it won the Adam Yauch Hörnblowér Award for pioneering filmmaking. That film, directed by Frank Oz and exec produced by Stephen Colbert, premiered on Hulu in January.

Recently, Kaino also co-directed and produced the documentary With Drawn Arms, which went into wide release on demand last week. Pic tells the story of Olympian Tommie Smith, whose silent protest from atop the medal stand at the 1968 Summer Olympics helped define the civil rights movement.

With Drawn Arms is the latest project to emerge from a years-long creative partnership between Kaino and Smith. Their collaboration has also produced sculptures, installations, and drawings that have been exhibited and acquired by the High Museum in Atlanta, the San Jose Museum of Art, and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.

“Glenn’s contribution to the success of ‘In & Of Itself’ and his outstanding directorial work on ‘With Drawn Arms’ highlight his talents as a masterful storyteller,” said UTA partner Andrew Cannava, who will lead Kaino’s representation team. “This is just the tip of the iceberg for Glenn’s next chapter. We look forward to creating platforms that help make it possible for him to continue translating his conceptual work into longer-form ventures widely available for people to experience.”

Kaino’s work in the world of fine art can currently be experienced at the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art, which is hosting his ambitious solo exhibition, Glenn Kaino: In the Light of Shadow. The football field-sized, immersive installation weaves together large-scale sculpture, music, video, and interactive elements to explore the enduring struggle for equality, from the Black Lives Matter movement to the Troubles of Northern Ireland.

Alongside actor and activist Jesse Williams, Kaino also co-founded Visibility, which creates mobile apps, shows, films and other anti-colonial interventions in the larger technology and media landscape for communities of color.

Before embarking on his solo career, Kaino served as a creative director for the Oprah Winfrey Network and Napster 2.0.

He continues to be represented by the Pace Gallery, which reps some of the most significant artists and estates of the 20th and 21st centuries.

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