simulacra

MMF MMXXIV: ALBERTO CALLEO

We are delighted to announce the inclusion of Alberto Calleo’s The Desert of the Real in the Made in Italy program at the forthcoming Milan Machinima Festival.

Created with the Unreal Engine, Alberto Calleo’s The Desert of the Real is an engaging machinima that explores the concept of simulacrum, inspired by French philosopher Jean Baudrillard’s influential book, Simulacra and Simulation (1981). Calleo insightfully navigates Baudrillard’s forward-looking criticism on how reality merges with media, probing the significant effects this fusion has on the very nature of reality. Through the prism of technology, with a specific focus on video game technology, Calleo examines the changing relationship between humans and machines, as well as between the tangible and the virtual realms. He positions video gaming as a crucial form of expression in the realm of contemporary technoculture, highlighting its role in shaping and reflecting our understanding of these complex interactions.

Alberto Calleo works at the intersection of digital media and architectural design, currently pursuing a PhD at the University of Bologna’s Department of Architecture. His research ambitiously spans the convergence of digital media practices and design cultures, with a keen focus on speculative design and forward-thinking through video games and interactive media. Calleo is deeply engaged in the creative applications of 3D modeling, photogrammetry, aero-photogrammetry, and laser scanning. His commitment to advancing the field is evident in his participation in applied research projects alongside various national companies, where he continues to push the boundaries of digital media and design.

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

MMF MMXXIV: KARA GÜT

We are thrilled to announce that Kara Güt’s unclassifiable video work Lurker1, will be screened at the seventh edition of the Milan Machinima Festival.

The video begins with a statement: “This is an edited version of the last three nights of twitch user Lurker1’s stream made from recordings sent to me by user creep_by_radiohead in late 2019. Both users have since been deactivated. For the full unedited stream, please contact me”. What follows is a documentation of Lurker1 as he practices the any% speedrun of the game Dark Souls III and talks to the sole chat participant creep_by_radiohead.

Kara Güt is an artist living and working in Ohio, specializing in image-based digital media. Her artistic inquiry delves into the contours of human intimacy as shaped by the digital era, exploring themes of constructed detachment from reality and the intricate power dynamics within virtual spaces. Güt’s work has garnered national and international attention, with notable exhibitions at the Hybrid Box in Hellerau European Centre for the Arts, Dresden; Thomas Erben Gallery, New York; and the Singapore Art Museum. She received an MFA from the Cranbrook Academy of Art and she boasts affiliations with institutions such as The Institute for Electronic Arts at Alfred University. Güt’s creative endeavors have also been enriched by residencies at SPACES, Pioneer Works Tech Residency and she has been honored as a 2023 Knight Art + Tech Fellow, marking her a point of reference in the sphere of art, online cultures and technology. Her groundbreaking work Hurt/Comfort was screened at the 2023 edition of the Milan Machinima Festival.

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

MMF MMXXIV: STEVEN COTTINGHAM

We are thrilled to reveal that Steven Cottingham’s latest work, As far as the drone can see, will be showcased in the upcoming edition of the Milan Machinima Festival.

With As far as the drone can see, Steven Cottingham navigates the complex terrain of warfare representation in the digital age, specifically through the lens of the military simulation software, ArmA 3, and its exclusion of female figures. Highlighting a critical perspective on the flood of images emerging from contemporary conflict zones, the artist questions the authenticity of such visuals, noting that some are generated from ArmA 3, which despite its realistic military portrayal, omits women entirely. Cottingham’s film intervenes by using open-source modifications to introduce a female journalist character into the game, engaging with a genderfluid guerrilla group. This narrative seeks to challenge the game’s gender biases and explore the potential of digital simulations to represent complex realities of conflict, including gender and power dynamics. The use of a drone symbolizes both an observer’s detachment and an omnipresent witness to these dynamics, suggesting a reflection on how conflict and its representation are inseparably entwined with media.

Steven Cottingham is an artist deeply engaged with the notions of virtual realism and visualization politics. His work critically examines the influence of emerging image technologies - including bodycams, surveillance advertising, military simulation software, and AI in prisons - on social behavior. Through filmworks and video essays likeA Camera Captures Images, A Court Sets Them Free and Postphotorealism, Cottingham explores the circulation of images and their impact on law enforcement and public perception, emphasizing the constructed nature of imagery to uncover the societal and technological processes that create meaning. His practice, which incorporates computer vision, animal crypsis, and documentary methods, invites a reevaluation of life under surveillance. Cottingham’s contributions have been recognized in venues such as Wil Aballe Art Projects, The 8th Floor, and The Polygon Gallery, among others. He co-edited the periodical QOQQOON (2018-2021) and participated in the Whitney Independent Study Program (2021-2022). Based in Vancouver, Canada, his work is supported by the Canada Council for the Arts and the BC Arts Council, highlighting his critical exploration of modern image-making and its societal effects. His monumental work Chain Link was featured on VRAL in 2022.

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