Meii Soh ~ FurStation: Towards immortality

Bethany's report: The audience enters a dimly lit theater, greeted by the glowing presence of a furry laptop on a plinth, with the phrase "FurStation Immortality" written across its screen. This object immediately sets the tone for a performance steeped in gamification, the more-than-human worlds, and the creation of immersive, speculative realities. A song plays softly in the background, enveloping the space in an ethereal, otherworldly mood.

The performers begin to play a video game projected onto the screen. The game’s fiery, red-hued landscape evokes themes of hellscapes, adventure and fantasy, as the characters navigate a quest for immortality. A disembodied voice intones, "Guided by the drive for immortality, I await you on the other side”. As the audience moves into a second theater, they are transported deeper into this speculative cosmos. Smoke fills the room, scents linger in the air, and the immersive environment evokes a dream-like traversal into the unknown.

The game continues, revealing "hunter" characters accompanied by "dogs," traversing a cosmological expanse that mirrors the visual vastness of a star-scape. On the stage, a performer, bathed in red light, begins to move as if floating or flying, their gestures mimicking the bobbing, weightless motion of characters in a video game. A small bird is lowered toward the performer, symbolizing a crossing between worlds or an invitation to ascend.

As the narrative unfolds, a second performer enters, their movements slow and deliberately animated, embodying the mechanics of a video game avatar. They respond to stimuli on the screen in real-time, blurring the boundaries between the digital and the physical. Gradually, more performers join, their fur-clad costumes echoing the hybridized, more-than-human aesthetic of the game-world. Their choreographed movements explore themes of suspension, resistance, and gamified gestures, with moments of stillness that reflect the stationary poses of avatars waiting to be animated.

The soundscape intensifies, blending mythical, fabled tones with techno-industrial rhythms. A sheer piece of fabric rises in the center of the stage, obscuring the game screen, as a new character emerges behind it. Draped in an elaborate costume, this performer executes a hypnotic dance. The other performerstake on a stillness that evokes inanimate characters within a game, embodying moments of pause within the immersive narrative.

As the performance progresses, the group takes on hunting and combative stances, mimicking archers and warriors in the midst of gameplay. The layering of sound effects and choreography further immerses the audience in this speculative worlding process. The narrative weaves together themes of companionship, survival, and the blurred boundaries of human and non-human existence, culminating in an acknowledgment of those who dwell at these intersections. Through its choreography, immersive design, and interplay of movement and stillness, the performance invites reflection on the ways we inhabit, play, and co-create speculative worlds that transcend the anthropocentric and embrace the possibilities of interspecies and interdimensional connection. 

Ramon Amaro: Ramon began by contextualizing his role at the institute he works a, where much of his work centers on digital culture. He explained that many artistic funding priorities are shaped by nation-states, each emphasizing different aspects of digital innovation. For instance, the UK tends to deprioritize infrastructure security, France focuses on quantum computing, and the Netherlands prioritizes immersion. He noted that the Netherlands often gravitates toward projects resembling simulations, such as Van Gogh experiences or digital wallpapers, which reveal a broader cultural interest in immersive practices.

However, Ramon emphasized that true innovation in digital culture cannot be dictated by external structures or prescribed prompts. Instead, it must emerge from artists and creators who are deeply engaged with specific topical concerns. He underscored the importance of creating spaces and frameworks that empower these practitioners to explore and articulate their unique perspectives on the world.

Turning to the performance, Ramon reflected on its engagement with gaming, immersion, and choreography. He described the work as an invitation to develop a choreographic language that moves beyond passivity, requiring both the performers and the audience to actively participate. While he admitted he is not an expert in choreography or dance, he recognized this function as central to the performance’s success and felt that it was achieved with skill and intention.

Ramon appreciated how the performance provided a framework for discussing larger concepts. He remarked on its ability to simplify complex ideas into accessible language, which paradoxically allowed for deeper engagement. This explicitness, he noted, created space for nuanced interpretations and meaningful questions about participation and interaction. He highlighted how this work contributes to a larger intersectional shift, challenging heteronormative and masculine norms often entrenched in gaming and immersive media. He pointed to examples like queer gaming and First Peoples gaming as similar efforts to decenter dominant perspectives and create space for alternative narratives.

Expressing his admiration, Ramon acknowledged the bravery of the performance’s conceptual approach. While the abstract might seem straightforward, the execution revealed layers of complexity and opened the door to broader conversations about participation and agency in immersive practices. He found the work both special and impactful, recognizing its potential to contribute significantly to the field.

In closing, Ramon expressed his hope that the creators understand the long-term significance of their work. He described the performance as a step toward addressing aspects of digital culture and immersion that have long been overlooked or taken for granted. Ramon emphasized his belief in the creators’ ability to make a durable impact, not just with this piece but with future works as well.

Inti Guerrero: Inti began by reflecting on the use of fur in the performance, noting its powerful charge and the interplay of cuteness and darkness that it evoked. He connected this to the works of Mike Kelley, who often explored the materiality of fur and its associations with childhood objects like teddy bears, imbuing them with a sense of loss, trauma, and unsettling undertones. Inti remarked on the fetishistic elements present in both Kelley’s works and the performance, suggesting that the fur carried layers of meaning tied to desire and uncanny intimacy.

He expanded on the theme of fur by referencing an Austrian architectural collective. One example he described was a 1970s structure built for a man and his wife, where the bedroom’s interior was entirely covered in fur—walls, ceiling, and objects—creating a tactile, almost otherworldly space. Inti noted the juxtaposition between the funkiness of the design and its underlying themes of otherness and desire. Another architectural project he mentioned involved a house where the facade was covered in strip lights, with a swimming pool at the center of the ground floor. This design ensured that the woman swimming inside was always visible, embodying fetishistic and voyeuristic elements in the relationship between architecture and the body.

Inti drew a connection between fur and the idea of seeking refuge, describing it as a material that invites a sense of escape and retreat, almost like a fetal return to a safe, enclosed space. He contrasted this with more austere architectural styles, referencing Wilhelmina’s observation that visiting certain houses designed with fur interiors felt emotionally distinct from the rigid functionality of architects like Le Corbusier.

Turning to broader artistic contexts, Inti observed the duality of lightness and depth present in the performance. He related this to contemporary art movements in Argentina, where, during times of economic collapse, artists used fur, teddy bears, and other subcultural aesthetics to create works that expressed joy and resilience amidst crisis. These works allowed for a reimagining of art as a space for happiness and levity, even in the face of hardship.

Antonia Majaca: Antonia began by expressing her admiration for the production level of the performance, noting the immense amount of thought and work that had clearly gone into it. She admitted to becoming fixated on a singular aspect of the narrative: the theme of immortality. This focus reminded her of Harlan Ellison’s short story, I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream, as well as its mid-1990s video game adaptation. She reflected on how this game predates contemporary conversations about immortality and technological self-awareness, yet engages deeply with similar existential questions.

Antonia connected this to a point Ramon had made the previous day about the accumulation of cells as a metaphor for building something valuable in the aftermath of destruction. To elaborate on her thoughts, she read a passage by Connor McHan from a forthcoming book she had edited. McHan’s analysis discussed how, in the game, the AI ultimately offers players an escape through death, reframing death as a reward rather than a failure. This subverts traditional notions of the "game over" screen, where a player’s performance is judged solely by their survival or success. Antonia found this concept resonant with the performance’s exploration of immortality, where conventional binaries of success and failure seemed to dissolve.