James K-M’s work, Ceremony of Privacy, was in the first Provocation: Investigating Technology exhibition,
July 6th – August 10th, 2024, on Salt Spring Island, BC ,Canada
Artist Statement
This work is called Ceremony of Privacy in which I am retrieving the early days of print media about digital culture, when there was initially an artistic innocence and an optimistic creativity, and an artistic paradise hidden and lost before it could barely begin. I suggest in this work a paradise regained through the analogue and ceremonial. My intention is to question the pervasive nature of this technology and offer artistic interpretations for our metaphysical reflection. Therefore, what are the metaphysics of privacy in the digital age? McLuhan was all about how to retain our metaphysics, by maintaining our perceptivity and vulnerability, and to be able to find the switch to turn off any pervasive interference. I believe this could be valuable in any age though, as media environments always exist and are pervasive at any time. As Barrington Nevitt said in Who Was Marshall McLuhan (1994), we should maintain a non-stop dialogue with our creator and for that we don’t even need to be verbal, let alone grammatical. In a McLuhan approach, what is our concern for privacy an extension of? I propose that it is an extension of the metaphysics in each of us that remains hidden and seemingly private. Our concern for privacy, free speech, security and identity in a digital age is a simulation of a metaphysical concern. – James K-M
The Provocation website states: “Provocation is an experimental series of annual exhibitions initiated by philanthropist Ethan Wilding and curator Jennifer Maksymetz on Salt Spring Island. Investigating Technology, featured the work of twenty artists to explore the multifaceted relationship between humanity and technology. Through diverse mediums and innovative approaches, their works illuminate how technological advancements shape our lives, influence our identities, and redefine the boundaries of artistic expression.”
Saturday, July 20th , James K-M was at the exhibition from 12-4pm. “He is wildly knowledgeable on media theory. His work spans 30 years and he was a pioneer in the New Media Art movement. Come join the conversation.” – Jennifer Maksymetz
The Provocation Exhibition held its final activity with a delicious catered Moroccan-inspired dinner for participating artists , supporters and volunteers who helped keep the gallery open to visitors throughout the summer.
