Sprüth Magers

Monika Sprüth and Philomene Magers are pleased to announce 𝐸𝒷𝓇𝒶𝒽 𝒦’𝒹𝒶𝒷𝓇𝒾, Jon Rafman's first solo exhibition at the London gallery. Colloquially familiar as abracadabra, the Hebrew phrase 'ebrah k'dabri' translates roughly to 'I create like the word.' Besides this expression having boundless religious, historical, and cultural connotations, it also describes the text-to-image algorithm employed by the artist to produce this most recent body of work.

In his latest works, the artist harnesses the creative potential of machine learning processes, continuing his longstanding practice of investigating the impact of technology on contemporary consciousness. The exhibition features both algorithmically generated paintings and video works that utilize permutations of appropriated content, encompassing everything from fine art to mass marketing material. Rafman incorporates the rich vocabulary and visuality of the Internet to develop poetic narratives that critically engage with the present, creating works that capture the tension between the indifferent eye of the machine and the human impulse to find meaning.