Purple Television
Jon Rafman TV Takeover
Purple TV presents the second in a series of monthly takeovers, which sees photographers, artists, and musicians curate a selection of their favorite videos for 7-days. We debuted the series with photographer ARI MARCOPOULOS, and proceed with Canadian visual artist and filmmaker JON RAFMAN. One of the most exciting young artists working today, Rafmanconstantly searches for artistic tools and methods that best represent or reveal modern experience. Created with humor and irony, this work is mainly developed through the use of digital media and the rich potential provided by contemporary technologies.
Featured in our current issue of Purple Fashion magazine issue 21, Rafman takes on his Second Life character Kool-Aid Man, created as an avatar based on the sweet pink drink’s brand icon who melancholically travels the virtual landscape, a contemporary representation of the 19th century explorer. Although this gained a strong following in the 3D virtual world, he was notably discovered through his investigative work entitled 9-eyes.com. In this immense undertaking he showcased bizarre and beautiful scenes around the world via the virtual universe of the Google Street View program. Rafman’s newest ongoing project New Age Demanded wraps 3D sculptural busts in canonised modernist paintings, re-contextualizing cultural ephemera to explore the relationship between technology, memory, and physical manifestations of digital desire. Through photographing the busts Rafman returns them to two dimensions, adds digital paint and overlays materials culled from the Internet. These works can not only be seen in his upcoming show at the Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis but also in the soon to be released blockbuster Robocop, where Rafman’s 2D triptych appears in the office of the villian CEO played byMICHAEL KEATON. Watch Rafman’s captivating curation of videos everyday on Purple TV. Photo Jon Rafman
[April 14 2014] : Television
Jon Rafman Takeover / Ratboy Genius Theme Song Video by Ratboy Genuis
All you need to know about this video can be summed up in the words of Youtube commenter Pigeon: “You will never understand the meaning to Ratboy Genius, he has seen everything and knows everything humans never will be able to find out even with the latest and future technology.” Be sure to check out his other videos too! – Jon Rafman
[April 15 2014] : Television
Jon Rafman Takeover / Stopover in Dubai by Chris Marker
This is the last film Chris Marker made before he died. The film is made from video sourced from the Dubai State security service of CCTV footage tracking Mossad assassins on their way to kill Mahmoud al-Mabhouh in his hotel room. – Jon Rafman
Head to the The Whitechapel Gallery in London to see the first UK retrospective of visionary French filmmaker, photographer, writer and multimedia artist Chris Marker (1921 – 2012), on view until June 22nd 2014.
[April 16 2014] : Television
Jon Rafman Takeover / (nostaglia) 1971 by Hollis Frampton
I love the way the film combines lyrical and structural modes of filmmaking, and engages with the themes of memory and time with both directness and elegance. – Jon Rafman
[April 17 2014] : Television
Jon Rafman Takeover / Relax with Sonic (2007) by Doc Future
Doc Future is my life coach. – Jon Rafman
[April 20 2014] : Television
Jon Rafman Takeover / You’re Not My Father (2007) by Paul Slocum
People from around the world re-enacting a scene from Full House.
[April 20 2014] : Television
Jon Rafman Takeover / Running Man (1989) by Yoshiaki Kawajiri
Badass. – Jon Rafman
