Japanese media art unit Exonemo’s latest work focuses on the differences between two worlds - the real, physical and our increasingly information-based, virtual. Citations of doubt in the real world itself among the two artists (Sembo Kensuke and Yae Akaiwa) led to an identification and consideration of a gap between the two worlds, namely one of "death." For the duo, "death" in the real world has no relation to a death in the proposed imaginary world of information. Un-Dead-Link (exhibited at Plug-In, Basel till August 24) works to connect the different realities and blur such a boundary by relying on a pre-programmed software with electronic goods Exonemo bought in Basel. "We modified the game Half-Life2 by using Garry’s mod. The game is connected to the piano while all electrical goods are connected by midi/dmx (protocol) with custom devices." With that, the audience can see, feel and hear the effects of a symbolic death in a computer game in an actual physical environment, bridging the gap. The gallery has two contrasting spaces- the ground floor is bright and open while the basement floor is dark and closed; reflecting the two worlds in the space.
Vicente Gutierrez