Jon Rafman mixes passion, technology, video games, sculpture, a maze and a short action movie in an inventive show in London.The Canadian artist’s first major solo exhibition in the U.K. takes over the Zabludowicz Collection, which is based in in a 19th-century former Methodist Chapel.On first glance, the installations may seem to have little in common. Look again and it is clear that Rafman (born 1981) is constantly investigating desire in all its forms – how it is created and satisfied in this increasingly digital age.There are other art shows where the theme, the common thread, seems a little grafted on as an afterthought, almost as if the artist or gallerist wanted something to make a bigger statement and pretend the show is not simply an unrelated collection of random works. Here, however, the approach is everything, the starting point not an end vision, and it works.One of the most immersive works is Rafman’s latest, produced with Daniel Lopatin. “Sticky Drama” was made with more than 30 London children and with a soundtrack by Warp Records of music by Oneohtrix Point Never. The casual violence of games and childish role play are shown in the film.Visitors can also wonder through a large-scale real maze hedge or get lost in virtual reality devices which produce a disorienting mix of Internet memes and flickering images: soothing, scary, futuristic and then looking back nostalgically to past romantic literature and art. In addition, there are scattered references to so very modern nightmares of memory loss, hacking and computer crashes.The Zabludowicz Collection has worked with many artists on its annual commissions: Matt Stokes, 2009; Toby Ziegler, 2010; Laurel Nakadate, 2011; Matthew Darbyshire, 2012; Andy Holden, 2013; Lizzie Fitch/Ryan Trecartin, 2014. With a list like this, and Rafman’s latest, this commission is definitely one to watch for those in search of future promising artists. Jon Rafman continues through at Zabludowicz Collection, 176 Prince of Wales Road, London NW5 3PT, though December 20. Telephone +44 (0)207 428 8940
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