In this episode of the Apollo 40 Under 40 Art & Tech podcast, Gabrielle Schwarz speaks to Ian Cheng and Jakob Kudsk Steensen – two artists who create work using video-game engines. They discuss their most recent projects: Cheng’s Life After BOB, an episodic anime series in which AI has entered the minds of humans, and Kudsk Steensen’s Berl-Berl, an immersive installation that transports viewers to the ancient wetlands that are thought to have given Berlin its name. Both artists discuss their influences in gaming and wider culture – from The Sims to H.R. Giger – and the increasingly fluid boundaries between physical and online spaces (just don’t mention the ‘metaverse’!).
The third series of the Apollo 40 under 40 podcast features conversations with some of the individuals celebrated in this year’s Apollo 40 Under 40 Art & Tech, presented in partnership with BNP Paribas. Previous episodes can be found here.
Installation view of ‘Ian Cheng: Life After BOB’ at the Shed, New York, in 2021. Photo: Maria Baranova
Installation view of ‘Jakob Kudsk Steensen: Berl-Berl’ at Halle am Berghain, Berlin, in 2021. Commissioned by Light Art Space (LAS). Photo: Timo Ohler; courtesy of the artist; © Timo Ohler/Jakob Kudsk Steensen