This is a little behind the scenes info on this project, to provide some context for you to enjoy the imagery more closely. Videogames are a modern part of this tradition, yet are distinguished by their special blend of interactivity which has increased technical dependence to a peculiar point of symbiosis, forming an ambiguous yet compelling relationship between what is virtual and what is real. Documentary photography has had a long history concerning the taxonomy of play within the domain of our culture. Some simply slide into sleeping bags underfoot, amidst the snaking cables and debris of perfunctory sustenance.Īs I observed, I considered my own affections for and assumptions about play. Shanty sleeping quarters are established on the peripheries. Most stay the whole weekend, bolstered by energy drinks and camaraderie. This moment in which reality and fantasy collide is a messy one. Wheeling in slabs of warm energy drinks cradled by fatigued floral pillows and thrust into swivel chairs, they plug into the high speed Local Area Network to play their favourite games in physical proximity to their virtual opponents.
Across Australia, thousands of computer gamers are packing up flashy keyboards and padding their modified drives to gather at temporary LAN parties in musty halls and defunct scout dens.
