Kevin Stebner, a Calgary-based multidisciplinary artist, writer, and musician, has consistently explored the intersection of art and video games through his project GreyScreen. This expansive artistic endeavor incorporates an array of media, from music to visual installations and poetry.
In spring 2024, Stebner is set to release a new book, Game Genie: Poems, published by The Blasted Tree Art Collective and Publishing Company. This innovative collection features oulipo-inspired lipogram poems (i.e., written works composed of words selected so as to avoid the use of one or more letters of the alphabet.), which double as working Game Genie codes for Nintendo, demonstrating a unique fusion of literary creativity and retro-gaming technology.
Here's an example, Analog (Analogue), originally published in Backslash Lit
Originally from Red Deer, Alberta, Stebner has been a prominent figure in Calgary's creative scene for nearly two decades. His journey into video game-inspired music began in 2007 while he was teaching in Korea. Facing the challenge of creating music in a small, isolated space, he discovered Chiptune, a genre that uses vintage gaming consoles to create music, and has since delved deeper into this style.
Related to his GreyScreen project, Stebner’s work often features interactive installations that blend visual art with sound through the manipulation of vintage video game equipment. One of his most remarkable projects is Glitch (2016), an interactive digital visual art installation that represents an advanced iteration of the earlier Switches Make Glitches project. This innovative piece features a circuit-bent Nintendo Entertainment System, where the video chip is intricately wired to a user-operated control box. Although the system retains its functional integrity, it has been transformed into a creative platform similar to patching a modular synth or operating a telephone switchboard. Participants can interact with the installation by configuring their own circuit bends.
GreyScreen, Glitch, 2016, presented at Beakerhead Festival, 2016. Photo (c) Kevin Stebner
This hands-on engagement allows users to generate a unique array of visual glitches, offering a personalized experience with each interaction. This approach not only reimagines nostalgic elements in a contemporary context but also has led to collaborations with prominent institutions like the EPCOR Centre, Beakerhead Arts Festival, and Contemporary Calgary, where his installations invite viewers to experience the confluence of sound, sight, and interactive art.
LINK: Kevin Stebner
LINK: GreyScreen
