MIDORI.so Gallery Bakuroyokoyama is pleased to present Information Overload, a solo exhibition by Swedish artist Marcus Mårtenson, opening on June 13.

In Information Overload, Mårtenson examines the psychological consequences of living within an environment saturated by information. Inspired by philosopher Byung-Chul Han’s analysis of contemporary exhaustion, the exhibition considers how constant streams of images, notifications, opinions, and recommendations create new forms of stress, distraction, and disorientation. In a culture where attention has become a commodity, individuals increasingly find themselves overwhelmed by the very systems designed to inform them.

At the center of the exhibition is the idea that artificial intelligence and algorithmic systems increasingly occupy a role once associated with spirits and invisible forces. Drawing on spiritualism, Jungian psychology, and digital culture, Mårtenson approaches AI as a contemporary séance. Just as nineteenth-century spiritualists gathered around tables seeking messages from unseen realms, contemporary users gather around glowing screens, asking questions and receiving answers from systems they do not fully understand. Chatbots, recommendation systems, and algorithms become new mediums through which invisible forces communicate and shape human behavior.

This perspective finds an unexpected parallel in Japanese horror cinema. Films such as Hideo Nakata’s The Ring and Kiyoshi Kurosawa’s Pulse envisioned technology as a conduit for unseen forces long before social media and artificial intelligence became embedded in everyday life. Their ghosts move through images, recordings, and communication networks, anticipating a world in which information itself becomes contagious.

Known for his pastel crayon works on wooden panels, Mårtenson draws on folklore, internet culture, mythology, and contemporary media to explore the invisible systems that shape perception, belief, and behavior. Through recurring characters, exaggerated scenarios, and dark humor, the works reflect on information overload, algorithmic influence, surveillance, and the pressures of contemporary digital life.

Since early May 2026, Mårtenson has been an artist-in-residence at MIDORI.so Gallery / Studio. The exhibition brings together works produced during the residency alongside selected works from his broader practice. During his residency, he has expanded his practice through silkscreen, inkjet, risograph, and Japanese woodblock printing (mokuhanga), exploring longstanding interests in image circulation, reproduction, and transformation through new materials and techniques.

In celebration of the exhibition’s opening, an artist talk will be held on June 13. Moderated by Erika Dreskler, the conversation will feature Marcus Mårtenson alongside writer and translator Matt Alt, known for his work on Japanese popular culture and subcultures. Together they will discuss technology, internet culture, contemporary popular culture, and the circulation of images from a range of perspectives.

Title | Marcus Mårtenson: Information OverloadDates | June 13–28, 2026Hours | 12:00–19:00 (Closed Mondays and Tuesdays)Opening Reception | June 13, 2026, 17:00–20:00Artist Talk | June 13, 2026, 17:30Speakers | Marcus Mårtenson, Matt AltModerator | Erika DresklerVenue | MIDORI.so Gallery BakuroyokoyamaAddress | 7F, 5-13 Nihonbashi Yokoyamacho, Chuo-ku, Tokyo 103-0003