David-Jeremiah presents “Artist Talk"

As part of the Modern’s Exhibition Lecture Series, Artist David-Jeremiah presents “Artist Talk,” in conjunction with the exhibition David-Jeremiah: The Fire This Time. The artist confronts and reconfigures the conventions of the customary artist’s talk format. Rather than offering a straightforward commentary on his process or intentions, “Artist Talk” becomes a site of interrogation where themes of authorship, responsibility, and commodification are debated rather than explained.

Throughout his presentation, David-Jeremiah engages in a layered, often self-critical dialogue that questions the very authority of the artist to define their own work. He examines the tension between an artist’s original intent and the ways in which their work takes on a life of its own once it enters public space. By foregrounding this ambiguity, David-Jeremiah positions the artwork not as a passive object of explanation, but rather as an active agent, capable of asserting its own meaning, resisting categorization, and even interrogating its maker.

“Artist Talk” purposefully disrupts the traditional power dynamic in which the artist is seen as the sole voice of truth. Instead, the work itself is granted voice and presence, turning the format on its head. In doing so, David-Jeremiah critiques systems of ownership, creative labor, and cultural exploitation, raising questions about who benefits, who speaks, and who is seen.