Transformations, Palazzo Marcello, Venice Biennale 2017

RANDOM HOUSE | Venice Biennale, PALAZZO MARCELLO, SAN MARCO, 30124, VENEZIA 13 May 2017 — 25 Aug 2017

Ancient mythology served as a framework for understanding and rationalizing life, offering models for behaviour, chronicling or embellishing historical events, and depicting the divine through language. In today’s interconnected world, stories, urban legends, and information spread instantly via social media, creating a new platform for modern mythology.

Jam Sutton’s latest work delves into this contemporary mythology, exploring themes of identity, the avatar, andthe distortion of self through technological advancement. By utilizing 3D scanning, Sutton digitizes the human form to create virtual ‘avatar’ sculptures, drawing parallels to mythological transformations of identity. These transformations mirror the psychology of our digital selves on social platforms, where online personas and the concept of the ‘technoself’ emerge.
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The ability to create and alter identities in the virtual world allows us to craftand project a ‘super-self’—an idealized persona unattainable in real life. Technological advancements and the rise of online social platforms have blurred the boundaries of identity, where anonymity grants freedom of expression and the opportunity to amplify aspects of the ideal self.
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Transformation and metamorphosis are central themes in ancient Greek mythology, especially inthe stories of Zeus and his various love affairs. Zeus often used transformation to manipulate, deceive, and seduce, as in the myth of Leda, where he transformed into a swan. The swan, symbolizing grace and beauty, or the ‘ideal’ self, features prominently in Sutton’s artwork. Model Jhonattan Burjack embodies a modern representation of society’s physical ideal.
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The digital sculptures also reference antiquity through intentional glitches and cracks, which result from data misalignment during the 3D scanning process. This intentional distortion creates a neo-classical depiction that explores human existence and identity in a technologically driven society.