Theo Triantafyllidis Blends Video Games and Ceramics at NOVO Milan

Theo Triantafyllidis's solo exhibition 'Radicalization Pipeline' opened at NOVO, one of two new Milan spaces of Florentine gallery Eduardo Secci. The show features a live simulation software running on a gaming PC, depicting two endless hordes clashing in violent battle, with characters ranging from militia members to fantasy creatures. The 3D models are partly created by the artist and partly sourced from game catalogs. The soundscape by composer Diego Navarro mixes medieval covers of pop songs. The exhibition also includes ceramics enriched with adhesive tapes, hair extensions, and acrylic materials, inspired by fantasy video game weapons. Triantafyllidis discusses how his work addresses the influence of internet and gaming communities on political radicalization and 'culture wars' in the US, Europe, and Italy. He compares the migration of players from the closed game Uru: Ages Beyond Myst to other online worlds, documented by researcher Celia Pearce in 2009, and notes that QAnon's popularity may be linked to gamification elements. The artist sees his digital works as performative software, emphasizing that the infinite duration of the battle makes the characters feel trapped. He uses the same technologies he critiques, distributing his work through platforms used by gaming communities. The exhibition runs until October 2, 2021. An excerpt from the simulation was also shown at VRAL, part of the Milan Machinima Festival.