Artist Statement

I am an interdisciplinary visual artist whose work resides at the intersection of technology, surveillance, and propaganda. With a deep connection to technology stemming from my early years, I view it not merely as a tool but as a collaborator in my creative process. My practice challenges viewers to navigate the blurred boundaries between fact and fiction, truth and misinformation, by repurposing and reimagining existing technologies.

Through my installations, photography, and painting, I explore how governments and corporations leverage technology to manipulate, surveil, and control populations. Projects like How to Train Your Humans and Synthetic Realities delve into the ethical concerns of mass surveillance, misinformation, and the weaponization of consumer goods. By creating immersive environments, I aim to captivate audiences and guide them to confront these issues organically, providing the framework for self-reflection rather than explicit conclusions.

Thematically, my work embodies the paradox of visibility and concealment—illuminating what is often hidden, such as the invasive capabilities of everyday technologies, while drawing attention to the limits of perception in a digitally saturated world. My aesthetic draws inspiration from glitch art, propaganda imagery, and the minimalist yet unsettling visual languages of surveillance and control.

Currently, my research explores the collaborative relationship between artist and artificial intelligence, examining how AI can function as a co-creator in generative art, music, and narratives. At the same time, my work critically engages with the potential for AI to be weaponized or abused to create misinformation and propaganda, raising urgent questions about the ability to distinguish truth from fabricated reality in this rapidly evolving, AI-driven world. By testing AI’s capabilities and boundaries, I uncover its potential to redefine creativity while highlighting the ethical challenges it presents.

Ultimately, my work invites audiences to question their own digital footprints, the narratives they consume, and the systems of power that shape their perceptions. As technology continues to redefine art and society, my practice seeks to unravel these complexities, fostering dialogue about autonomy, truth, and the human experience in an age of pervasive technology.

James Malzahn