Collaboration for Ways of Being Together project.
John Powell-Jones and Kong Kee share an interest in cyberpunk aesthetics and the power of speculative fiction to inform and expand our understanding of the present. John Powell-Jones’ work is informed by the ways in which dominant ideologies and power structures influence our perceptions of reality. In particular, how the warped western view of progress and success affects our understanding of morality. In Dragon Delusion (2019-) Kong Kee imagines a world where ancient Chinese emperors discovered the secret to immortality and now cyborgs and sentient robots live among us; reflecting on what effect that might have on our understanding of humanity and the future. After sharing their work with each other Atamur, an avatar that recently appeared as the central character in Powell-Jones’ Web Wide World comic and interactive art work has found its way into the world of Kee’s Dragon Delusion. Another of Kong Kee’s character’s George has also taken on Atamur’s appearance.
Time Tangle (2022)
Artist: John Powell-Jones
Video work, courtesy of the artist.
Atamur, an avatar that recently appeared as the central character in Powell-Jones’ Web Wide World comic and interactive art work has found its way into the world of Kee’s Dragon Delusion.
World Wide Web (2022)
A game. Artwork, story and audio John Powell-Jones, technical development John Howes, courtesy of the artist.
Click here to start playing the game.
Kong Kee thoughts on John Powell-Jones work:
Metaverse, virtual reality, multi-verse, 看到這一堆熱門搜尋的詞語，彷彿未來的科幻世界已經成為大家生活一部份。回想自己成長於連email都是高科技的年代，即使見到由有限而簡陋pixel構成的畫面，已經好像打開連結異世界的大門了！John Powell Jones 的作品，燃點起那一種久違了的感覺，好像從新發現了新媒體的刺激，對科幻和未知的熱情和想像。
John 的作品有遊戲、漫畫、人偶等等，都充滿了奇幻的想像力，意想不到的情節，令你不其然走進那神秘的時空，一路探索更多，樂而忘返！然而，當你投入主角的視角，被投降到一個不知名的星球，一步一步前進，色彩斑斕的氣氛底下，其實是強烈的孤獨感，在無垠的太空中，我們都是一個寂寞的玩家，期望在遊戲中連接到另一夥靈魂。
English translation
Metaverse, virtual reality, multi-verse, when all of these buzzwords pop up, it seems to indicate that the futuristic sci-fi world has already become part of our lives. I grew up in a time when Email was high technology, seeing the images constructed by limited and simple pixels has already been opening the gate that connects to another world! The work of John Powell-Jones has lighted up this old feeling of mine which makes me feel like rediscovering the excitement of new media, the passion and imagination towards sci-fi and the unknown.
There are elements of games, comics, figurines in John’s work. The elements are filled with magical imagination and plot twists which immerse players in exploring the mysterious dimension without noticing! For all that you will feel loneliness instead when you join the pov of the main character and get dropped at an unknown planet. You proceed step by step into the colourful atmosphere all by yourself. After all, we are only lonely players in the infinite space eager to connect with another soul.
George (2022)
Artist: Kong Kee
Video work, image courtesy of the artist
Go to Ways of Being Together project page.