Digital Deliverance: White Saviorism and the Screen

Large format experimental publication, architectural blue print hanger, 2' x 44," 2019. Photo documentation: Jesse Meredith. 

Digital Deliverance

May 31 – July 11, 2019 

Chicago Artists Coalition

Chicago, IL

This essay critically evaluates the enthusiasm of the private sector to mediate human-to-human contact within the correctional, immigration, and healthcare systems. In analyzing advertisements for video-conferencing services in popular media, the piece draws on Althusser’s theory of interpellation to affirm that these forms of mediation apply to the same demographics of bodies. Considered an “accessible” and “affordable” alternative in response to the demands of overcrowded detention centers and a failing healthcare system, these methods render unmediated experiences such as in-person visitation and court proceedings, a privilege available for those outside of the marginal classes.