Danielle Brathwaite-Shirley's Interactive Game Exhibition Preserves Black Trans Experiences at Arebyte Gallery

Danielle Brathwaite-Shirley's exhibition 'She Keeps Me Damn Alive' transforms Arebyte Gallery in London into an interactive videogame arcade celebrating Black transgender life. The installation functions as a rail shooter where players protect avatars modeled on the artist's friends—Dwayne, Marikiscrycrycry, and Ebun Sodipo—using motion-capture data. These low-poly renderings address archival absences by creating new records for excluded experiences. Players navigate three biomes: an underwater temple, a dungeon, and a city impacted by white gentrification. They wield an unconventional pink firearm to confront antagonists like 'Pretend Allies,' 'Supremacy Agents,' and 'Touristic Touches.' A short film titled 'Health and Safety' (2021) instructs participants to 'Shoot to protect Black trans people' while questioning their authority. The exhibition critiques gaming culture's shortcomings, referencing Anna Anthropy's 2012 book 'Rise of the Videogame Zinesters' and contrasting corporate failures like Activision Blizzard's legal issues with indie platforms like itch.io and Game Jolt. Live Twitch streaming broadcasts player interactions, emphasizing accountability. The show remains on view until March 5, 2022.