appropriation

MMF MMXXIV: ELIA STRAZZACAPPA

We are excited to share that Elia “marasma” Strazzacappa’s Uncanny’s Dream will be featured in the Made in Italy program at the upcoming Milan Machinima Festival.

Uncanny’s dream is a deliberately glitchy, unhinged reinterpretation of Fabrizio De Andrè’s song Il sogno di Maria. This innovative project breathes new life into the song through the haunting liminal spaces of Half-Life 2, utilizing Garry’s Mod for an immersive experience. This poetic work captures a deep sense of solitude and the existential boundaries familiar to those who have navigated the Source engine’s realms. De André’s lyrics and melody undergo a transformative process, infused with electronic elements and altered vocals, evoking a stark sense of desolation and dehumanization characteristic of synthetic environments. These spaces, simultaneously familiar and alien, embody the project’s exploration of nostalgia and the uncanny, the dominant mood of the 21c. Uncanny’s dream speaks to the early digital explorations of Millennials and Generation Z, invoking a powerful blend of virtual proximity and real alienation, a visceral and intimate experience that has indelibly shaped their cultural and aesthetics perceptions.

Elia “marasma” Strazzacappa is a multifaceted intermedial artist from Italy engaging with a variety of media, including painting, video production, photography, music composition, sculpture, graphic design, 3D modeling, literary work, and tattoo artistry. His work gracefully traverses the boundary between the analog and digital worlds, showcasing a fluid and critical approach to addressing the intricate challenges posed by late-capitalist culture. Strazzacappa is currently enrolled in the New Art Technologies at the Brera Academy of Fine Arts in Milan and plays a pivotal role in the dynamic project space @spazioxenia, located in the heart of the city. This collaborative platform acts as a fertile ground for his creative pursuits, with a keen emphasis on painting and the continuous evolution of his personal investigative journey. A distinctive hallmark of Strazzacappa’s artistic philosophy is his exploration of the “anti-product” approach, challenging traditional ideas surrounding the creation and consumption of art, underlining his deep-seated interest in examining and questioning the significance and influence of art within the fabric of modern society.


Read more about the 7th edition of the Milan Machinima Festival

ARTICLE: ADRIFT IN THE UNCANNY VALLEY

VRAL is currently exhibiting Aleksandar Radan’s This water giver back no Images. To provide context to this remarkable work, we are discussing the Serbian-German artist’ oeuvre. Today we take a closer look at In Between identities.

With his groundbreaking machinima In between identities (2015) and the subsequent video installation This water gives back no Images (2017), Berlin-based filmmaker Aleksandar Radan established himself in the mid-2010s as a rising talent probing the porous boundaries between concrete and virtual spaces. Appropriating assets from blockbuster games like Grand Theft Auto V, Radan constructs eerie, liminal worlds where meaning frays, and questions of identity become as glitchy as the discordant landscapes he frames.

Originally presented in April 2020 as VRAL #2, In between identities sees Radan hijack GTA V, rewriting portions of code through modding to direct lonely avatars stripped of context, narrative, and purpose. Bereft of missions, these figures wander a murky, humid, deserted city, their awkward movements and apparent disorientation at odds with the usual bombastic pace of the “conventional” gameplay. Dressed incongruously in bathing suits or fur coats, slicing cucumbers over their eyes, the mute characters perform uncanny rituals before mirrors and displays. Repeated motifs like photographs and screens highlight themes of fragmented selfhood and surveillance. Radan’s fixed camera angles hold uncomfortably long on incidents of mundane absurdity as his non-player characters break scripted behaviors. Static shots are interrupted by the camera’s jerky movements as the artist is filming the computer monitor where the action is unfolding, zooming in and out abruptly, rather than recording the game footage via a dedicated card. The removal of soundtracks enhances the sensation of drifting outside reality.

This early experiment crystallized Radan’s impulse to short-circuit gaming conventions via artistic intervention…

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Matteo Bittanti

Works cited

Aleksandar Radan

In between identities, digital video, color, sound, 8’ 50”, 2015, Germany

This water gives back no Images, 3-channel video installation, 6’ 12”, loop, 2017, Germany; presented on VRAL as a single-channel digital video

All images courtesy of the Artist

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NEWS: MACHINIMA, ART, AND SOCCER: ON MARTA AZPARREN’S THE GOLKEEPER AND THE VOID

Marte Azparren, El Portero y el vacío, machinima, 3’ 56”, 2009, Spain

VRAL is currently exhibiting Juan Obando’s Pro Revolution Soccer, a modded version of Konami's popular soccer game celebrating a counter-historical event: a match between Inter Milan and the Zapatista Army of National Liberation soccer team that never took place. Today, we are showcasing another example of Game Art made by hijacking, appropriating and recontextualizing Pro Evolution Soccer, Marta Azparren’s El Portero y el vacío (The Goalkeeper and the Void, 2009). This article is part of an on going series.

Spanish artist Oscar Marta Azparren, a graduate of Madrid Complutense University with a degree in Fine Arts, has garnered international recognition for her eclectic body of work, which spans video art, visual arts, and net.art. Exhibiting her creations in key venues and events worldwide, Azparren’s artistic prowess has mesmerized audiences at festivals and retrospectives, solidifying her place in the contemporary art scene.

Azparren’s seminal work, El Portero y el vacío (The Goalkeeper and the Void), was featured in the 2016 exhibition GAME VIDEO/ART. A SURVEY. In her machinima, Azparren appropriated Konami’s Pro Evolution Soccer in order to explore the relationship between football and sculpture, paying homage to the renowned Basque sculptor Eduardo Chillida (1924-2002), who made significant contributions to the field of modern and contemporary art. Born in San Sebastián, Basque Country, Chillida initially pursued a career in professional soccer, playing for the Real Sociedad team from 1942 to 1943, when he was very young. He later retired because of a knee injury and turned his attention to art. His novel journey began with studies in architecture, but he soon shifted his focus to sculpture.

Chillida’s sculptures are characterized by their monumental scale, organic forms, and the exploration of space and material. He worked primarily with iron, steel, and stone, creating massive structures that often incorporated voids and negative spaces. His works embody a sense of harmony between the natural and the man-made, blending organic shapes with a modernist aesthetic. One of Chillida’s signature techniques involved carving directly into granite or alabaster, allowing the natural qualities of the material to guide the creative process. His sculptures often conveyed a sense of weight and tension, evoking a profound emotional and physical presence…

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Matteo Bittanti

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VIDEO: GLITCHED RITUALS, UNCANNY REPLICAS. DECODING NATALIE MAXIMOVA’S EPISODES

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As part of our ongoing coverage of Natalie Maximova’sThe Edge of the World, currently exhibited on VRAL, we are delighted to present an essay about Maximova's video piece Episodes (2021).

In recent years, within the context of contemporary art, the appropriation and recontextualization of video game assets has emerged as a powerful practice for artists to explore themes of identity, technology, and digital aesthetics. Through the repurposing of these virtual elements, artists navigate the complex terrain between video art and gaming, forging new pathways of artistic expression and broadening the very definition of machinima. This convergence offers a fertile ground for critical reflection, inviting viewers to ponder both the potential and the limitations of increasingly popular simulated horizons.

One notable exemplar of this artistic investigation is Elaine Hoey’s 2019 mesmerizing video work, Animated Positions. The piece prompts viewers to reconsider the underlying frames and symbolism ingrained within traditional art by juxtaposing it with the domain of video games. Specifically, Hoey delves into the tradition of 19th-century European nationalist paintings, unraveling the intricate role of art in the representation of jingoistic patriotic ideals that have acquired cultural symbolism in nation-state formation. Breathed anew, the bellicose postures and poses of male figures depicted in these historical paintings come to life through character animation sourced from the popular first-person shooter Call of Duty by Activision Blizzard. By comparing digital reenactments of war-like stances with the traditional aesthetics of nationalist art, Animated Positions defies romanticized notions of nostalgia associated with the nation-state, offering a critique of the pervasive violence underpinning modern nationalistic ideologies and the glorification of aggression found in mainstream video games.

When I say that Animated Positions exemplifies the practice of artistic decontextualization, I mean that Hoey skillfully appropriated characters’ animations from their original context, i.e., video games, thereby altering their meaning and relevance as she inserted it somewhere else, i.e, a specific Western tradition of sculpture and painting. The artist employs the strategy of decontextualization to illuminate and offer alternative interpretations by removing an element from its usual context, associations, and intended uses. For example, this approach suggests a connection between the artworld and the gaming milieu, particularly regarding representation. Furthermore, it implies that both art and games can function as forms of propaganda, even if they are not commonly recognized as such. Additionally, the artist proposes that the conventional distinction between high art and the vernacular lacks foundation, as they share similar themes, values, and objectives. Ultimately, Hoey’s use of decontextualization serves as a creative strategy to disrupt prevailing narratives, question societal norms, and foster critical engagement. Animated Positions reframes and reinterprets familiar ideas, inviting viewers to contemplate different perspectives and rethink the underlying assumptions or principles attached to the decontextualized items.

Natalie Maximova’s equally thought-provoking work, Episodes, is another compelling example of critical decontextualization through the repurposing of video game assets…

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Matteo Bittanti

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MMF MMXXIII UPDATE: INTRODUCING NANUT THANAPORNRAPEE'S TRANSMEDIA PROJECT this history is auto-generated

Ludic revisionism or historical playfulness?

Nanut Thanapornrapee ambitious transmedia project, The History is Auto-Generated (2022), is a remarkable exploration of alternate histories and their capacity to be appropriated, molded, reimagined, and even embodied across an array of mediums, including experimental film, animation, machinima, and AI-generated texts. The project is underpinned by Thanapornrapee’s epistemological quest to decode reality, which acknowledges that we are continuously bombarded with simulated narratives that shape our perceptions and understanding of the world. In this sense, Thanapornrapee’s project is a bold attempt to reclaim some kind of agency in these narratives and empower viewers to chart their own course of history.

In his first solo show The History is Auto-Generated (2022), staged at WTF Gallery in Bangkok, Thailand, viewers could engage with an interactive online platform showcasing historical turning points in Thailand’s society, economy, and politics, temporarily inhabit different personas and make choices that could determine the course of the narrative. The result is a unique, personalize, co-generated history, where the lines between simulation and reality become blurred. The History is Auto-Generated showcases a series of these narratives, brought to life through a collection of short machinima that offer a glimpse into possible alternative universes. During the exhibition, visitors were also invited to participate in a workshop where they could embed 3D personas and engage in dialogue with one another through the prompts of these alternative histories.

Thanapornrapee’s project of ludic revisionism and historical playfulness is not just a trivial pursuit. It invites us to explore the power of imagination and the potential for change in an era marked by a bleak sense of foreboding. By weaving together AI-generated scenarios based on the collective subconscious, Thanapornrapee has created a context where time flows at the tips of our keyboards, and dreams appear within reach, perhaps the ultimate form of delusion.

Among Thanapornrapee’s main inspirations for the project is Mark Fisher’s notion of capitalism realism, the hegemonic ideology of our times — the belief that capitalism is the only viable economic system, and that any alternative is either impossible or impractical. This ideology is so pervasive that it appears to be a form of common sense, an inherent and natural part of our reality. It is, as Fisher notes citing Franco “bio” Berardi, a sort of “slow cancellation of the future” — a sense that there is no alternative to the present system, and that any hope of a better world is illusory. And yet, by recognizing the limitations and failures of the current system, we can begin to imagine and create alternatives that might lead to a more just and equitable world. However, one may question how AI can generate novel kinds of history since algorithms are trained on existing datasets, that is, past information. If anything, AI “content generation” seems to be doomed to repeat the same mistakes and thus reinforce “capital realism”, but it also true that algorithms can be trained differently. That is, another AI-world is possible (?).

As Thanapornrapee explains:

The History is Auto-Generated is “a manifestation of Thailand’s alternative history which was written by artificial intelligence in order to help us imagine the possibility of our reality apart from military governance and monopolized economics. The work contains an animation film about simulated history, interactive novel and artifact from the generated narratives. The aim of the project also lets the audience have their agency and interact with the history and rewrite their own narratives. Therefore I would like to continue to explore the possibility of a future where present day we live in capital realism and the consequent downfall of neoliberalism. The ability to create and visualize the projection of tomorrow with the help of artificial intelligence and participatory for imagining the alternatives. 

Thanapornrapee’s series The History is Auto-Generated features four episodes, with History Bureau Agent being the most recent addition. In this film, the protagonist uncovers a clandestine operation room used by the Thai Military to manipulate reality. Viewers are privy to a conversation between a history simulator machine and an enigmatic character, both of which were created by the AI. The machinima offers a glimpse into alternative possibilities for the present world, beyond the confines of military dictatorship and capitalism. History Bureau Agent’s seven minutes and forty-eight seconds of digital video and machinima are sure to leave a lasting impression on audiences.

A Tale of Two Thailands takes place in an alternative future where Thailand has been divided into two states, one being an anarchist state, and the other a military shogunate. The visual components of the film were created using a screen record of video games, following the story and dialogue written by the AI. This machinima is featured in the Counter-narratives program of the Milan Machinima Festival MMXXIII alongside works by Martin Bell, Colin Stagner, and Rhett Tsai.

Dawn of 1932 is a stand-out example of Thanapornrapee’s project, taking viewers on a journey to the revolutionary day of Siam (Thailand), where democracy was on the horizon. The protagonist, a government officer, must confront a corrupt leader and make a difficult decision that will shape the future of Thailand. Through a combination of gripping storytelling and stunning animation, viewers are transported to a world where anything is possible.

Finally, Payback of 2010 is a gripping tale set during the mass protests that rocked Bangkok in 2010. The protagonist travels back in time to seek revenge for an innocent citizen killed by the government. The result is a thrilling and thought-provoking exploration of justice, power, and the enduring legacy of political violence. Thanapornrapee’s The History is Auto-Generated is a timely and thought-provoking work that invites us to imagine different futures and explore the potential for social change.

VRAL supporters on Patreon will have access to exclusive content related to The History is Auto-Generated, including an in-depth conversation between Thanapornrapee and Gemma Fantacci.

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Matteo Bittanti


Artist bio

Nanut Thanapornrapee is a visual artist who uses essay images and a participatory approach to explore the meta-narrative and history of people and technology. Thanapornrapee graduated in Journalism and Mass Communication (with a major in photography and filmmaking) at Thammasat University. In 2021 he participated with Baan Norg Collaborative Art and Culture to create HAWIWI: I Wish I Wrote a History which experiments on meta-narrative by writing a history of Ratchabur, a city in Western Thailand, via card game and participatory with locals including high schooler and elementary students. In 2021 he received the Prince Claus Seed Award and participated in a mobile lab program at Documenta 15.

Works cited

Nanut Thanapornrapee

The History is Auto-Generated: History Bureau Agent, digital video/machinima, color, sound, 7’ 49’’, Thailand, 2022

The History is Auto-Generated: A Tale of Two Thailands, digital video/machinima, color, sound, 9’ 57’’, Thailand, 2022

The History is Auto-Generated: Dawn of 1932, digital video/machinima, color, sound, 5’ 18’’, Thailand, 2022

The History is Auto-Generated: Payback of 2010, digital video/machinima, color, sound, 5’ 19’’, Thailand, 2022

All images courtesy of the Artist and WFT Gallery

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EVENT: CALUM RODGER (JANUARY 20 - February 9 2023, ONLINE)

ROCK, STAR, NORTH

Digital video (1920 x 1080), color, sound, 23’ 05”, 2016-2022, Scotland

Created by Calum Rodger

In 2016, inspired by Basho, William Wordsworth and Nan Shepherd, Glasgow-based poet Calum Rodger undertook a poetic odyssey inside San Andreas, Grand Theft Auto V’s hyperreal replica of California. In 2017, he chronicled his journey in a 20-minute performance poem titled Rock, Star, North, which premiered at the Scottish Storytelling Centre in Edinburgh in May of that year. In 2021, the poem achieved its final form: a machinipoem, composed entirely of footage from the game, alongside an all-new reading and updated text, which we are now presenting as part of VRAL S03.

Calum Rodger is a Glasgow-based poet working in print, performance and digital forms. He was Scottish National Slam Champion 2019 and holds a Doctorate in Scottish Literature from the University of Glasgow. In the last few years, he has worked extensively at the intersection of poetry and gaming.

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ARTICLE: A CLOSER LOOK AT SEBASTIAN SCHMIEG'S LIGHTS WILL GUIDE YOU HOME

Sebastian Schmeig, Nice (LFMN) – Edinburgh (EGPH), video recording, 180’, 2015

ON SCHMEIG’S LONG STANDING FASCINATION FOR THE ART OF VIRTUAL FLYING…

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Lights will guide you home is an iteration of an ongoing project by Sebastian Schmieg originally presented at panke.gallery in January 2022, Lights will guide you home (take off) and at /rosa  Lights will guide you home(landing) both in Berlin, the latter being a new project space jointly run by panke.gallery and Zentrum für Netzkunst (ZfN) focusing on researching and exhibiting net art and net culture. Lights will guide you home was originally conceived as a multi-channel installation, and was subsequently edited as a single-channel video recording for VRAL where it can be watched until July 7. 

However, Schmieg’s fascination for flight simulators is far from recent. In fact, it goes back to at least 2015, when he produced Nice (LFMN) – Edinburgh (EGPH), a three hour long screen recording of a virtual flight by a gamer streaming on Amazon’s platform, Twitch.tv. The project was originally created for a group exhibition entitled Wasting time on the Internet 2.0, curated by Thomas Spallek, Laura Catania, and Yvonique Wellen at Kunsthalle Düsseldorf. 

Nice (LFMN) – Edinburgh (EGPH) is an appropriation and re-contextualization of a ludic performance by a player with a small, almost negligible following…

Matteo Bittanti

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