GAME ART: NEILSON AND MILAN KOERNER-SAFRATA'S THE GARDEN OF EARTHLY DELIGHTS (2020)
The Garden of Earthly Delights
is an online chatroom for the creatures living within the world ofAge of Empires II
created by SCRNPRNT, that is Neilson Koerner-Safrata(Virtual Virtual Reality, Dustnet, Irrational Exuberance
among others) and his twin brother Milan (Heart, Puzzlegami, Alien Garden among others). Gloriously absurd, like a Ionesco's play, it redefines the very notion of "frame" and "window" by upgrading Hieronymus Bosch's triptychThe Garden of Earthly Delights
(1490-1510) to the digital age. SCRNPRNT's deconstruction of video game spaces and mechanics is both an example of pseudo-forensics architecture and appropriation art. Players can embody different characters within the cosmology of Age of Empires II - human animals or non-human animals - by pushing the arrow key. There are also literal arrows in the game, so you'd better watch out.This fascinating non-game can be experienced in a browser and would work great as an installation in a white cube.
SCRNPRNT was founded by twins Milan and Neilson to work with video game engines and virtual worlds to form new connections between the screen and the self. Their work has shown internationally at festivals such as A MAZE, Now Play This, VIFF, Independent Games Festival, IndieCade, and Ludicious.
LINK: SCRNPRNT