HGLA #112 - new you, new me

I built a life simulator

It happens.

Stuff.

Often when we least expect it.

But it does.

Petra Collins

Life comes out of nowhere and everything changes.

I used to think it was just me.

But every step I take,

I realise it’s everyone.

Olia Lialina, My Boyfriend Came Back From the War (1996)

That little bit of life we can’t account for.

It’s just how it is.

You can buy the umbrella,

walk around the puddles,

but eventually

we all feel the rain.

I’m not sure when I realised,

but I did.

And since then,

I’ve started looking at it differently.

Lynn Hershman Leeson, Lorna (1979–84)

There’s a million people out there,

maybe more,

and they’ve all got a story.

Most of the good ones

have a few.

And they all have the same scenes.

The same pains,

dreams,

ambitions,

a plan to get to the top,

or maybe not.

But along the way,

lady luck falls asleep at the wheel

and it all falls to pieces.

But that’s the game,

I suppose,

so better to play it

and jump in the puddles

than wait

until the bus comes past

and you get soaked anyway.

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I built a life simulator

It’s a game/art/a thing

you decide….

But it’s good.

I’d hoped to bring you the latest installment of the Perception series.

But last week I moved studios.

A few days earlier than I thought I’d have to.

I’ve not touched a book all week.

And I think it’s bad juju not to ship something

when you’ve got your hands on a new space.

So here’s my latest project:

Dreamland

In tech terms it’s still an MVP, but I’ve wanted to share a project that I’m working from the start for a while.

This seems like a good fit

over the next few months you’ll see some updates to it from me as I take it to a place that feels correct and it’s suitable for putting out in a gallery or on the street.

Click the image or link

or visit www.isthisaplayground.com

fill in the details (write whatever you want)

Play the game

(of life)

If you get to live beyond a 100 send me a screenshot and I’ll send you a t-shirt.

There’s still a lot of work to do on it, but I felt like I haven’t been sharing enough of how I work in here. maybe it’s not what you want, but if it is, i hope you enjoy.

This is v1.0 and it’s good.

Any feedback or critique is helpful for me, unlike most mediums, technology by it’s nature is collaborative.

It’s some of my best work, and it feels good to be in a new studio and making things that I think are on the edge of what I see around the galleries and museums I get the chance to go into.

I grew up as an internet kid in an art town with no real place in the art world.

I still don’t, but what I do know is that if you have a dream and pursue it, good stuff happens.

This hopefully contribtues to some of the untold dreams that exist in the world around us.

Hope you enjoy!

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Poets corner

*II*

Looking down 
on low lying cloud
From an English hill
above the town
at ay em 
quarter past eleven

Mortal business 
hidden beneath. 
The cathedral 
piercing through
like a finger reaching
for heaven.

- Thomas May

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Final words

Life is complex

Hope this is relatable in communicating that

next week I’ll share some details about the new studio

until then

I’ll keep working

good luck

love you loads

- R x