• DESCRIPTION
    • INSTITUTIONS
    • CREDITS
    • LEVELS
    • INTERVIEWS
    • TIMELINE
    • CATALOGUE
    • PRESS
  • ARTISTS
  • VISIT
  • EVENTS
  • NEWS
  • VRAL
  • PATREON
  • MILAN MACHINIMA FESTIVAL
  • CONTACT
Menu

GAME VIDEO/ART. A SURVEY

APRIL 4 – JULY 31, 2016
  • EXHIBITION
    • DESCRIPTION
    • INSTITUTIONS
    • CREDITS
    • LEVELS
    • INTERVIEWS
    • TIMELINE
    • CATALOGUE
    • PRESS
  • ARTISTS
  • VISIT
  • EVENTS
  • NEWS
  • VRAL
  • PATREON
  • MILAN MACHINIMA FESTIVAL
  • CONTACT

BLOG

EVENT: COLL.EO (OCTOBER 11—24 2024, ONLINE)

October 11, 2024

REASONABLE TOO

digital video (3840 x 1632), color, sound, 10’ 03”, 2018 (2024), United States/Italy

created by COLL.EO

The second in a series of machinima by COLL.EO examining social and racial tensions in the United States produced between 2018 and 2020, Reasonable Too depicts a fatal encounter between a young man and law enforcement, set against a stark urban backdrop. Utilizing the digital environment of Grand Theft Auto V, the piece juxtaposes the overwhelming force of authority with the vulnerability of the victim, culminating in an execution. The progression of events – from the initial pursuit to the officer’s use of force – offers a pointed critique of systemic violence and power imbalances. By presenting this narrative within the context of a video game, Reasonable Too heightens the sense of helplessness and alienation often tied to real-world tragedies, underscoring the complex relationship between virtual worlds and lived experiences.

COLL.EO (est. 2012) is the dynamic duo of Colleen Flaherty and Matteo Bittanti, whose artistic practice can best be described as a tiresome exercise in recycling other people’s ideas. Known for their breathtaking lack of innovation, COLL.EO specializes in taking the work of others, throwing on a thin veneer of irony, and calling it subversion. After spending an extended period shuttling between San Francisco and Milan, they’ve managed to carve out a niche in Los Angeles, where the air is thick with their smug displays of so-called “appropriation” and “intervention.” Like an art world cover band, they rehash the past with neither flair nor purpose, but somehow they persist.

WATCH NOW
Tags COLL.EO, Colleen Flaherty, Matteo Bittanti, Reasonable, San Andreas, Grand Theft Auto V, violence, police, simulation, race

EVENT: BRENT WATANABE (MAY 19 - JUNE 1 2023, ONLINE)

May 19, 2023

Brent Watanabe

MINE

machinima/digital video (1920 x 1080), color, sound, 37’ 06”, United States, 2023

The latest work by Brent Watanabe is a thought-provoking exploration of the intersection between virtual reality and contemporary culture. Originally conceived as a semi-narrative interactive experience, MINE spans eight mesmerizing episodes, each presenting a different facet of our complex relationship with consumption, waste, the environment, and the digital world. Originally presented on Meta/Facebook VR platform Horizon Worlds, visitors are invited to journey through a kaleidoscopic array of immersive and fully-realized virtual environments, each revealing a new layer of insight and critique. From the grotesque realities of animal exploitation to the dark allure of gaming, guns, and surveillance, MINE is a bold and unflinching statement on the pressing issues of our time. The original work has been reimagined as a single-channel walkthrough video edited by the artist for VRAL. 

Brent Watanabe’s art practice defies categorization, fusing traditional techniques with cutting-edge technology to create installations that are at once visually arresting and intellectually engaging. Drawing on his extensive background in drawing and sculpture, Watanabe uses computer programming and electronics to create kinetic sculptures that are at the forefront of a new wave of digital art. Watanabe’s work has been recognized both nationally and internationally, with his groundbreaking 2016 project, San Andreas Deer Cam, receiving over 800,000 visitors in its first three months alone and being featured in publications such as New York Magazine, the BBC, and WIRED. In addition to his solo work, Watanabe has participated in group shows and screenings around the world, including Through Machine Eyes at the NeMe Arts Center in Limassol, Cyprus, Game Changers at MassArt Art Museum in Boston, and Playmode at the MATT Museum in Lisbon, Portugal. With recent solo exhibitions at prestigious venues such as SOIL Art Gallery, McLeod Residency, Jack Straw New Media Gallery, Gallery 4Culture, Anchor Art Space, and the Bumbershoot Music and Arts Festival, Watanabe continues to push the boundaries of what is possible in the realm of digital art. 

WATCH NOW
Tags Brent Watanabe, Meta, Horizon Worlds, virtual reality, consumption, violence

Latest POSTS

Featured
Jun 6, 2025
EVENT: POYUAN JUAN (JUNE 6—19 2025)
Jun 6, 2025
Jun 6, 2025
May 23, 2025
EVENT: OLEKSANDR HOISAN (MAY 23—JUNE 5 2025)
May 23, 2025
May 23, 2025
May 9, 2025
EVENT: FIRAS SHEHADEH (MAY 9—22 2025, ONLINE)
May 9, 2025
May 9, 2025
Apr 25, 2025
EVENT: DOUGLAS DIXON-BARKER (APRIL 25—MAY 8 2025, ONLINE)
Apr 25, 2025
Apr 25, 2025
Feb 20, 2025
EVENT: HOU LAM TSUI (FEBRUARY 14—27 2025)
Feb 20, 2025
Feb 20, 2025
Jan 31, 2025
EVENT: NATALIE MAXIMOVA (JANUARY 31—FEBRUARY 13 2025)
Jan 31, 2025
Jan 31, 2025
Jan 17, 2025
EVENT: HARRISON WADE REISHMAN (JANUARY 17—30 2025, ONLINE)
Jan 17, 2025
Jan 17, 2025
Jan 3, 2025
EVENT: ANDY HUGHES (JANUARY 3—16 2025, ONLINE)
Jan 3, 2025
Jan 3, 2025
Dec 20, 2024
EVENT: GLORIA LÓPEZ CLERIES AND SIVE HAMILTON HELLE (DECEMBER 20 2024—JANUARY 2 2025)
Dec 20, 2024
Dec 20, 2024
Dec 6, 2024
EVENT: EDWIN LO (DECEMBER 6—19 2024, ONLINE)
Dec 6, 2024
Dec 6, 2024