PATREON-EXCLUSIVE CONTENT
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PATREON-EXCLUSIVE CONTENT 〰️
“Now that she knows that she is herself, will she resume her game of ‘playing houses,’ will she return home, in other words, withdraw again into herself?”
(Gaston Bachelard, The Poetics of Space, 1958)
VRAL is currently showcasing Fumi Omori’s latest project Home Sweet Home, which delves into the young Japanese artist’s intimate tapestry of personal recollections and her playful documentation of frequent relocations both IRL and within the virtual realm of Animal Crossing: New Horizons.
In our preceding exploration, we delved into the intricate interplay between the digital realm and its tangible manifestations, exemplified by the artist’s clever utilization of photogrammetry — a technique that involves capturing and measuring physical objects or environments through the analysis of photographs or digital images — in visualizing the meticulously reconstructed apartments within the landscape of Animal Crossing: New Horizons. With a process that dances harmoniously between simplicity and intricate complexity, Home Sweet Home's essence gradually reveals itself.
In the second part of our deep dive, our focus shifts toward Omori’s ingenious employment of Animal Crossing: New Horizons itself, which serves as both a tool for reconstructing fragmented memories and an archival repository of lived experiences, deftly mediated through the artist's lens. The accompanying images presented in this page poignantly showcase Omori's recreated apartments within the realm of Nintendo’s 2020 best selling game. Reminiscent of The Sims, Animal Crossing: New Horizons provides a captivating interplay that merges the practice of dollhouse playing with the art of crafting personalized living spaces. Here, players become architects of their own imaginative interiors, meticulously curating furniture, decor, and layout to reflect their sense of style and self expression. With a plethora of design options and customizable elements at their disposal, players can explore various aesthetics, experiment with spatial arrangements, and create harmonious environments that evoke a sense of comfort, cuteness, and personalization.
Matteo Bittanti
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