Master of Fine Arts graduate James Malzahn was awarded the University of Waterloo Alumni Gold Medal for his Master of Fine Arts thesis: an immersive exhibition called Instruments of Belief: The Victory Box. His work explores the evolving relationship between humans and technology, using artificial intelligence (AI), surveillance systems and immersive environments to challenge how we understand truth, authorship and control. The work incorporates sculptural elements and generative AI to produce audio, video images and documents to create experiences such as a 1980s documentary or a security control room with AI-generated images on all of the screens
In his nomination, Malzahn's supervisors praised his pushing the boundaries of studio practice, working with emerging AI platforms, and critically examining the use (and misuse) of technology for propaganda and misinformation.
“My goal is to create an experience that informs and prompts questions in the viewer,” Malzahn says. “Experiencing information is quite different than simply reading information… My primary goal is not to provide answers or solutions; it is to promote thought and knowledge, inviting people into this complex conversation.”
A lifelong connection to technology
Malzahn’s journey is rooted in a deep, lifelong affinity for technology. As a teenager, he operated a bulletin board system - an early form of online communication — before building a career in computer systems, network design and data forensics. Even when he shifted to fine arts, that connection remained central.
“I came to terms with the fact that technology was part of who I am,” he says.
That realization gained urgency following the 2013 revelations from Edward Snowden about global surveillance practices. “I felt that this was personal and something that people should be made aware of,” Malzahn says. “I decided to reclaim our technology and create art that was impactful and memorable.”
James Malzahn’s installation Harmony Through Obedience, presented by the Student Art Innovation Lab (S.A.I.L.) at the University of Waterloo, on display at Lumen Festival in the underground parking lot of Waterloo City Hall. Photo: James Malzahn
A carefully staged AI Generated Protype of 1950s-style living room immerses viewers in a familiar yet unsettling environment that draws them into the experience of The Victory Box installation. Photo: James Malzahn
Exploring AI, misinformation and perception
Today, Malzahn’s research focuses on AI as both a creative nonhuman collaborator and interlocutor.
“AI has the potential to impact humanity — positively and negatively — in unimaginable ways,” he says. “An enemy to being ‘properly informed’ is propaganda and misinformation… [AI] can create information that can fool your senses and blur the line between fact and fiction.”
His work brings these concerns into physical space through immersive installations that make invisible systems, like surveillance and data collection, visible and immediate.
“I make it the focal point,” he explains. “I do this by situating the viewer within the system while making the technology's function and capabilities visible. The goal is to awaken the viewers’ senses to the techno-environment we live in.”
His thesis — The Victory Box — is designed to move audiences through moments of recognition and doubt, challenging viewers to reconsider what they see and trust.
“As you reach the end of the experience, you should start questioning,” he says. “My hope is some people will be going back [through the installation] to see where their senses have deceived them.”