selectparks - Eddo Stern Solo Show at Postmasters, New York.

Those of you in New York should check out Eddo's new show at Postmasters Gallery, running until October 13.

Postmaster's writes:

His new works - kinetic shadow sculptures and 3D computer animation videos - use a mash-up of documentary material from online forums, clip art, YouTube videos, midi music, electronics, and hand made puppets. They mine the online gaming world at its paradoxical extremes: on one hand, an untenable perversity of life spent slaying an endless stream of virtual monsters, on the other, an ultimate mirroring of the most familiar social dynamics. The struggles with masculinity, honor, aggression, faith, love and self worth are embroiled with the gameworld's vernacular aesthetics.

Argh, summer-stoned. I was a bit late on the money with this one. Thnx Eddo for sending it through (and see you soon)!

In "Man, Woman, Dragon" (kinetic sculpture), World of Warcraft is reduced to its core elements: the cult of Chuck Norris, female elves, and a slain dragon.

"Best Flame War Ever (King of Bards vs. Squire Rex, June 2004)" is a two channel 3D computer animation diptych recreating an online flame war about degrees of expertise around the computer fantasy game Everquest, as followed by the artist in June 2004. The specific points of contention may appear recondite at first glance, but gradually the unfolding narrative acquires an unexpected pathos and gradually the unfolding narrative acquires an unexpected pathos and reveals a glimpse into the shifting codes of masculinity.

In "Level sounds like Devil (BabyInChrist vs. His Father, May 2006)" (computer animation), a teenager living with an adoptive Christian family posts the question to the online Christian forums: "Is World of Warcraft Evil ?" The Community helps him reckon with the moral and spiritual dilemmas of reconciling his life in World of Warcraft, with the strict edits of his father and the challenges of following his new faith. As a new synthetic fantasy world encroaches on the territory of an established religion, the inner workings of faith, truth and the boundaries of reality begin to unravel.