About
Robert Overweg is a photographer in the virtual world, he sees the worlds of (first and third person shooter) games as the new public spaces of contemporary society and as a direct extension of the physical world.
Overweg dwells by foot or by air through the outskirts of the virtual world which he dissects through his photography. He documents the similarities and the differences between the virtual and the physical world while making use of the new possibilities the virtual world give him as a photographer.
By looking into how games work and the aesthetics of the virtual world he asks questions about how the system works and the people behind them.
On this site you can view his work and stay updated on new developments and expositions.
I recently finished an artist in residence
@ TAG in The Hague
the end of the virtual world
The end of the virtual world 2010, Robert Overweg, Left 4 dead 2, Half life 2, counter-strike source, Modern warfare 2
144 x 81 cm satin print on aluminium, All images courtesy TAG, The Hague
Artist statement, The end of the virtual world:
This series of photographs originates from four popular first person shooter games (Left 4 dead 2, Half-life 2, counter-strike and modern warfare 2) Unlike you might think the virtual world is not round like the physical world but flat with hard-cut edges. These photographs show us how the virtual world ends. What I find interesting about these photographs is that they behold a certain dramatic almost classical feel to them playing with our real life experiences but cut off.
Taking a closer look at: The end of the virtual world 1
By taking the photographs out of their context of the virtual world and blowing them up in a size of 144cm by 81cm (or larger) the typical aesthetics of games are laid bare. At first glance the photograph seems to represent the physical world really well. After further inspection you might see the identical air conditioners on the roof both have the exact same rust and scratch marks, the brick pattern on the wall on the right has non fitting patterns. The most obvious example is the two colliding roads whom are pasted together.
The end of the virtual world in exhibition: image 1, image 2
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