“This messy keyboard is a metaphor for our existence.”
We interviewed Jon Rafman about his groundbreaking work, which takes a critical look at the internet and how it has evolved from a free space to one dominated by surveillance.
”I’ve always been in search of ways to communicate with as many people as possible using a language that feels fresh. And when the internet emerged, it came up with new languages, new ways of communicating. There was a sense of excitement, as well as a certain idealism. It felt like I was part of an active community that was in dialogue with each other.”
”You think you know the world, and then you find a world inside the world, and then a world within that, and it just goes on and is literally impossible to conceive. This was the sort of excitement – the possibility of these new worlds to explore, be it in Google Street View, but also in Second Life.”
Over the years, however, the internet has undergone a significant transformation, shifting from a multitude of niches to being dominated by a few large companies. It became more ”Kafkaesque than even Kafka”, says Rafman, especially with the recent developments in AI:
”AI is just as a tool, like the photograph and the film camera and the printing press, I think it’s a really incredible tool for artists. I’m not praising it, I think there’s a sense in which it’s terrifying. The people constructing these algorithms don’t know the long-term effects they will have on society and our children. And just like Google Streetview, it’s owned by this one corporation, but like the internet as a whole, we all can surveil each other and police each other also.”
Jon Rafman (b. 1981 in Montreal) is a Canadian artist and filmmaker recognised for his innovative use of digital media to explore themes of memory, identity, and the complexities of contemporary culture in the age of technology. Rafman gained prominence through his work that frequently combines photography, video, and virtual reality, creating immersive experiences that challenge perceptions of reality and digital interaction. His artistic practice often explores the intersection between the virtual and the physical, examining how digital environments influence human experience.
Through his explorations of virtual worlds, Rafman raises critical questions about nostalgia, surveillance, and the impact of technology on society. His work often blends humour with melancholy, providing a nuanced perspective on the human condition in an increasingly digital landscape.
Rafman has exhibited internationally in prestigious institutions, including the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York, the Palais de Tokyo in Paris, the Barbican Centre in London, and the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art in Denmark. His contributions to contemporary art have solidified his position as a leading voice in the discourse surrounding digital media and its implications for modern society. By continuously pushing the boundaries of artistic expression through technology, Jon Rafman invites viewers to reconsider their relationship with the digital world.
Jon Rafman was interviewed by Marc-Christoph Wagner in October 2025. The conversation took place at the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art in Humlebæk, Denmark, on the occasion of Rafman’s exhibition, “Report a Concern.”
Camera: Simon Weyhe
Edited by: Nanna Dahm
Produced by: Marc-Christoph Wagner
Copyright: Louisiana Channel, Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, 2025
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