Estella Kremser

My project draws on the nostalgia of playing Slither.io and explores the contrast between virtual and real experiences. I was interested in translating the flat, digital nature of the game into a tactile, physical form—emphasizing texture, materiality, and immersion. Central to the game is a mechanic where players consume others to grow, which led me to reflect on ideas of competition, dominance, and survival. This evolved into an exploration of cannibalism and the ethics of self-preservation in contemporary contexts. I drew inspiration from The Platform, a film about hierarchical consumption, and Daniel Spoerri’s food-related artworks, which capture traces of human presence. Pipilotti Rist’s Pixelwald influenced my interest in immersive environments, while Adrian Ghenie’s Shadow Paintings informed my focus on distortion, decay, and the digital condition. I combined weaving, cording, and basketry to create a richly textured, three-dimensional textile installation. To introduce movement and viewer interaction, I collaborated with a wood technician to construct a kinetic mechanism, allowing the piece to respond to its environment. Through this multi sensory approach, I aimed to immerse viewers in a physical interpretation of digital consumption and question the systems that shape our virtual and real lives.