Between April 21 - May 4 2023, VRALfeatured Benjamin Freedman’s first ever machinima Jake, which can now be watched here. In this short video, Matteo Bittanti discusses the artist’s left motifs, recurring themes, and the role of video games in manufacturing false memories.
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In The Blue Seals. Extinct and Happy the artist tackles the multifaceted theme of memory and its impact on our sense of place and identity. Exploring the notion of “home” as a deeply personal and evolving construct, the artist delves into their relationship with the city of Berlin, a metropolis which has undergone significant transformation over the past decade. Through the medium of an immersive bus simulation game set in 2021 Berlin, the artist takes us on a virtual journey through the city’s ever-changing landscape, one that mirrors the shifts and fluxes of their own being. The work weaves together a complex interplay of past and present, real and imagined, personal and collective, as the artist reflects on their fading memories of a love that once bloomed amid the streets of Berlin. The Blue Seals is an evocative exploration of the ways in which we are shaped by the spaces we inhabit and the memories we carry within us.
Moritz Jekat is a visual artist hailing from the vibrant intersection of Berlin and Lausanne, whose practice spans the mediums of computer-generated imagery, sculpture, and installation. With a distinguished BA in Visual Communication from Potsdam under their belt, Jekat has since gone on to further refine his craft as a participant in the esteemed Master program of Photography at ECAL in Renens, Switzerland. At the core of Jekat’s practice lies an incisive exploration of contemporary developments within western and specifically German society, with a particular emphasis on the role of identity and digital culture. Investigating the themes of co-existence, cohabitation, and the multiplicity of ideas that converge in shared spaces, Jekat’s work often draws on his own immediate surroundings before expanding outward to explore broader universal truths. Jekat explores the intersections between human experience and technological advancement, with computer-generated imagery and the use of AI serving as powerful tools in his artistic arsenal. Their work stands out as a thoughtful, insightful exploration of the rapidly evolving landscape of modern life, reflecting a deep engagement with the pressing questions and issues of our time.
In his seminal essay, “The spectral geographies of W.G. Sebald” (2007), John Wylie explores the ways in which the German writer W.G. Sebald evokes the uncanny and spectral dimensions of place in his literary works. According to Wylie, Sebald’s writing reflects a deep engagement with the power of place to evoke haunting memories and uncanny sensations. He notes how Sebald’s writing often portrays places as repositories of past traumas and histories that resist simple representation or understanding. Through his use of images, anecdotes, and digressions, Sebald creates a sense of place that is deeply layered and enigmatic, inviting readers to reflect on the ways in which place shapes our perceptions and memories.
The fascinating notion of spectral geographies returns in an eponymous series by Benjamin Freedman which was acquired by the prestigious GESTE Collection in February 2023. Spectral Geographies is a mesmerizing exploration of the urban palimpsest that is Jongno, Seoul, through the use of cutting-edge LiDAR technology. LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) is a remote sensing technology that uses laser light to measure distances and create 3D representations of objects and environments…
Matteo Bittanti
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Benjamin Freedman employs sculpture, video, and photography to craft his lens-based creations. His artwork often requires him to delve deeply into intricate histories, conducting extensive research and employing a nearly forensic approach to analysis. Fascinated by photographic research as a type of pseudo-archaeology or meta-ethnography, Freedman frequently uses reinterpretation and disruption in his works to reveal restorative discoveries. As he explores the relative truths and deceptions inherent to the medium of photography, Freedman deliberately incorporates visual vocabularies from genres like video games, science fiction, and horror to produce expansive documentary projects.
Moreover, the use of digital technologies to fabricate false memories and to populate virtual spaces with the weight of recent history is a common thread running through Jake and Freedman’s latest projects, such as Bad Work (2022) and Home in the Valley (2022). While there is a playful quality to the use of digital technologies in these projects, it does not always evoke a sense of joy or amusement. For instance, in Bad Work, the simulated environment captures the unsettling and eerie ambiance of an office festooned for a holiday party, yet conspicuously absent of human presence. Freedman created a series of “photographs” using CGI which depict wine glasses on documents, thrown darts lodged in the ceiling, and abandoned heels under desks, collectively imply a boisterous and spirited occasion that subverts the oppressive ambiance of the workplace…
Matteo Bittanti
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