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
