Jon Rafman, born in Montreal in 1981 and now living in Los Angeles, is regarded as one of the pioneering artists of the digital age. Since the 2010s, Rafman has been exploring and reflecting on the visual language of the internet in his videos and films — both euphorically and critically. In a creative exchange with music, pop culture, fashion and design, Rafman continuously develops new imaging processes that illuminate the relationship between man and technology in an exciting way. The current exhibition at K21 offers a comprehensive overview of Rafman’s work since 2008, including the iconic projects “Nine Eyes of Google Street View” and “Kool Aid Man in Second Life”, as well as the experimental “Dream Journal”.
Rafman’s latest project “Mainstream Media Network” is at the centre of the exhibition. This is a music television channel that is currently being set up, with which Rafman is reinterpreting the legendary MTV of the 1980s using state-of-the-art AI technologies. This innovative project not only illustrates the possibilities of artificial intelligence in art, but also opens up a dialogue about the impact of digital media on society. The exhibition will be complemented by a diverse programme of lectures and educational events designed to promote media literacy among young people in particular, thus ideally rounding off Rafman’s artistic exploration of new digital realities.
