Becoming a Legend (2021)
Gweni Llwyd and Owen Davies
Digital video with sound 5’32

A monstrous Pro Evolution Soccer avatar, controlled by a teenage boy playing on too low a difficulty, gains consciousness and reflects on his existence.

“The practice of customizing characters and assets in video games has a long tradition within vernacular as well as avant-garde subcultures. In fact, artists have often pursued this route to create their artworks. Few, however, reach the meta playful levels of Becoming a Legend which introduces the imperious character of Da Man!, a post-human, virtual übermensch, a diabolical, green-haired “divin codino”. Created with/in the popular video game Pro Evolution Soccer, Da Man! embodies the notion of toxic masculinity and the neoliberalist mantra of self-optimization.” - Luca Miranda, Milan Machinima Festival 2021.

Read full interview here