Nguyen Wahed Gallery is pleased to present new works by Francisco Alarcon, an artist whose practice examines the material history of computer-generated graphics and the influence of interfaces on cultural techniques. Alarcon's multifaceted approach to digital imaging demystifies technical processes and philosophical perspectives on media operations, with a particular focus on computer simulations and representations of natural phenomena that shape our understanding of the physical world. His practice, informed by his background in engineering and doctoral research in Film and Visual Studies at Harvard University, offers visitors a critical perspective on the technical systems underlying contemporary visual culture. The new body of work - OFFSHORE explores the intersection of islands, blockchain technology, and digital property, questioning ownership in decentralized systems. The project materializes island maps through CNC machining while inscribing digital island renderings on the Bitcoin blockchain. By juxtaposing offshore paradises with immutable blockchain spaces, OFFSHORE reflects on sovereignty, anonymity, and value in the digital age.
The first presentation of OFFSHORE debuted at Art Dubai 2025 fair, and has been followed by Face Value, a group exhibition examining the dissolving boundaries between worth and reflection in contemporary systems of exchange, opening 15 October 2025 at the gallery's new London location.
Face Value exhibition brought together john gerrard, Anna Ridler, Addie Wagenknecht, Rachel Maclean, Francisco Alarcon, and Harm van den Dorpel with Jonas Lund, each investigating how identity operates as currency through technological, biological, and economic frameworks.High-resolution videos: https://vimeo.com/0xfar