Beyond the Matrix

Deserting Illusionism

Bug Hunter art concept creates a clash between two radically different aesthetics: illusionist and non-mimetic. On the surface, one finds a normative and sterile aesthetic reproducing the mimetic audiovisual feel of an game in a beta state. Premade Unity assets. Photorealistic textures and lighting. Natural physics. Realistic sounds. Common fictional settings. There is a cold vibe of déjà-vu, standardization, and conformity.

Non-representational exodus

As glitches are used to redirect the simulation and go beyond the wall of illusionism, a non-mimetic, chaotic and alien aesthetic is encountered. Duplication of entangled objects floating in the air. Fragmented pieces of architecture in the distance. Glitch art digital photography in disproportionate scaling suspended in the sky. Abstract geometry textured with complex multicolored mosaic. Dadaist-like photomontages remixing Punk and Marxist iconography. Industrial noises and glitch sounds energizing the soundscape. There is a hot, intense, and dizzy vibe of being not only in the fabric of the game, but in the mental landscape of the design process. Here are some key aesthetic influences: