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Between Particles and Waves

3 Part exhibition series in the public server space using the Minecraft Metaverse

Digital

 

2020 - ongoing


 

The project started out between Salvatore Cinquegrana (Surry), Brad Downey and Jan Vormann, and was soon joined by Jazoo Yang as an additional director and curator. This exhibition is the first of its kind that reunites a group of international artists who are known fro their artistic practice in public spaces in cities trhoughout the world. The works created specifically for this virtual space of 28 Million x 28 Million x 256 blocks were shown in the process of being constructed by Surry, a famous italian youtuber, During a short Period of time in September 2022, the world was open to the public, everybody who has access to the game was invited to immerse into the environment and experience the artworks in-situ. There were guided tours in different languages. The Participatig artists of the first edition were: Vhils (PT), John Fekner (US), Esther Stocker (AUT), Michael Johansson (SWE), Octavi Serra (ESP), Addfuel (PT), Brad Downey (US), Jazoo Yang (KOR) and me, Jan Vormann (DE/FR)

The works were translated into the minecraft server by different technological means. The most complicated ones used photogrammetry to create 3d objects of real-world sculptures which were later voxelized and finally constructed on the server by Surry in survival mode. Other works used the possibility of creating custom textures and "map-art" to be placed inside the world. At this moment the server is still online and free to join from any platform. This is also why I filed this project under "Public Spces" tab. The Project is running its 3rd edition with new artists and events happening on a monthly basis.

 

To visit the server log on to Bpaw2.apexmc.co

 

 

Once the works were conceptualized by the artists, Surry constructed the works in his Youtube - survival series as seen below. He had to build farms and collected the materials needed to put the works into existence. He only died once (obviously in-game) doing this. 

 


 

When we opened the world to the public, this is how the works looked before - with Shaders (a way to change the sky and textures a little bit to make the appearance more beutiful) As the world was opened to everybody in "Anarchy Mode" - meaning everybody could anonymously interact with every single block - soon the works got altered or even destroyed.

 

When the Server was opened we counted around one hundred visitors on the first days. Throughout the weeks, sporadically visitors came to experience the works and play on the server between these digital public sculptures.

 

Players set up their bases inside and around the works and used the infrastructure Surry had put in place in his survival-series to equip with the vital resources.

 

 

 

As is normal on Minecraft servers, after a couple of weeks in anarchy mode, the world had changed quite a lot: Lavacasts had risen into the air, works had been altered and disfigured. Players had left messages and craters made with explosives