Jon Rafman in Düsseldorf: It doesn't get more romantic than this

Canadian artist Jon Rafman, renowned for his deep dives into the internet's visual landscapes, presents a spectacular "pandemonium" of digital imagery in his latest exhibition in Düsseldorf. The show at K21 invites viewers to explore the profound transformation of the internet, from its wild, anarchic beginnings to the era of dominant platforms and controlling algorithms.

Rafman's work is celebrated in art circles that appreciate the aesthetic of glitch and digital distortion. His videos and installations aim to expose the inner workings of the digital world. The exhibition, described as humorous and accessible, paradoxically looks more to the past than the present, offering a melancholic reflection on the early digital age.

The exhibition's journey begins in the museum's lower level, a space removed from natural light, where walls and floors are covered with large tarpaulins printed with distorted, "edgy" motifs from the digital realm. This sets a tone for exploring the "deep interior" of the digital world.

Early works on display include large-format photographs, framed and printed from Google Street View. These images capture candid, often unusual, scenes of everyday life – people sunbathing naked in yards, loitering, or children running towards the camera. Rafman began collecting these images in 2007, the same year Google started its Street View project, while he was studying literature, philosophy, and art.