Game Art: Coll.eo's "YOU ARE DEAD" (2013)
"YOU ARE DEAD is a commercially obtainable single line electronic display sign that Coll.eo has programmed to visualize a series of statements relating to death and its ramifications in video games. The statements take the form of quotes, judgments, and sentences. Overall, there are approximately two hundred texts selected from a variety of video games.LINK
YOU ARE DEAD hijacks Jenny Holzer’s Truism series produced between 1977-9, which was subsequently adapted to programmable LED display signs. Specifically, YOU ARE DEAD is based on Holzer’s T03959 (1984). While Holzer’s statements were aphoristic - e.g. “DECADENCE CAN BE AN END IN ITSELF”, “DRAMA OFTEN OBSCURES THE REAL ISSUES”, “ENJOY YOURSELF BECAUSE YOU CAN'T CHANGE ANYTHING ANYWAY” - several messages displayed by YOU ARE DEAD are apodictic. They include imperatives, commands, and comments. Some may appear cryptic for a viewer unfamiliar with video game jargon. Consider, for instance, “LOOTING IS GOOD”. Looting refers to the process by which a player characters obtains items such as in-game currency, equipment, or weapons, often from the corpse of a creature or possibly the corpse of another player in a Player vs. Player situation." (Coll.eo)
: Coll.eo
Submitted by Matteo Bittanti
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