Mario Mu, The Sun, The Mast or Gravity, 2022 (video installation, HD, 7 min. ,wood panels)
Mario Mu has unveiled his latest video creation, titled The Sun, The Mast or Gravity, which delves into the intricate interplay of architecture and decay. This 7-minute film was crafted using the Unity video game engine and draws inspiration from the visionary architectural concepts of 20th-century Yugoslavian architect Vjenceslav Richter, which never came to fruition. At the core of Mu's work lies an intricate neural-like structure constructed from weathered steel cables, seemingly providing the life force for the virtual realm it inhabits. As these cables twist and coil, the surrounding architecture undergoes a mesmerizing metamorphosis. It transitions from an interpretation of Richter's unrealized concrete mast intended for the Yugoslavian pavilion to the haunting remnants of the National Museum of Aleppo in Syria, a casualty of the ongoing civil conflict.
As Mu writes in his artistic statement, this work strives to redefine our perception of space by merging the constructed environment with the echoes of destruction. Mu translates Richter's modernist visual language into a novel digital domain, the language of video games, skillfully arranging geometric forms and images into intellectually stimulating configurations. The result is a contemplative and cyclical exploration of the delicate equilibrium between construction and decay. Mu's video underscores the fragility of even the most ambitious architectural endeavors, as they ultimately succumb to disarray. Yet, from these remnants, new forms emerge, perpetuating the eternal cycle.
The Sun, The Mast or Gravity is the latest installment in Mu's. ongoing artistic venture, Sites of Encounter. It represents a groundbreaking utilization of video game technology to address key questions concerning human progress versus entropy. As Mu continues to refine his digital world-building prowess, anticipation builds around the possibilities his future works may unveil within the realm of new media art.
Mario Mu is a Berlin-based visual artist and director known for his work on research projects often presented as extended gaming platforms. His creative practice spans game design, 3D animation, performance, sound, and drawing. Mu holds a BFA from the Academy of Fine Arts in Zagreb, Croatia, and an MFA from the University of Arts in Berlin, Germany.Between 2016 and 2017, Mu was actively involved with the Research Center for Proxy Politics. Since 2017, he has been an author and collaborator on a series of events held at various prestigious venues, including the TAP-Théâtre auditorium de Poitiers in France, V2 Rotterdam in the Netherlands, MGLC Ljubljana in Slovenia, MAAT Lisbon in Portugal, Play Co London in the UK, Pakhuis de Zwijger in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, and several locations in Berlin, Germany such as Ufer Studios, Galerie gr_und, and Silent Green, among others. He has also participated in events in Zagreb, Croatia, including MSU, Pogon, and GMK. Mario Mu's digital and online projects involve collaborations with notable entities like AVYSS, Mizuha, The Killscreen, The Carillon, BoCA Biennial, Milan Machinima Festival, Gamescenes, Itch.io, Gestalten Publishing, FACT Magazine, Wrong Biennale, The School of Machines, Making & Make-Believe, STYLY, Lima Sky, Pivilion, and Inquiry Inc. His multidisciplinary work has made a significant impact on the intersection of art, technology, and gaming.
LINK: Mario Mu
