How can roleplay be used as a tactic to reflect, contest and move beyond real-world power structures? This is the subject of the interactive exhibition States of Play: Roleplay Reality that has just opened at FACT (Foundation for Art and Creative Technology) in Liverpool.
Works by two Finnish artists, Reija Meriläinen and Kimmo Modig, are presented as a part of the exhibition. Meriläinen is a Helsinki based artist working with moving image, sculpture, and installations that combine the digital and physical. Her work at FACT is a game called Survivor, which questions how far you would be willing to manipulate others in order to succeed.
Kimmo Modig has developed a multimedia commission with a group of LGBTQ+ young people in Liverpool. The project was a part of his eight week-long residency at FACT in 2018. Together with the community Modig explored methods of self-expression adopted through digital platforms. The result is an artwork taking place both in the virtual and physical space.
The Finnish Institute in London has supported Modig’s work throughout his career. This is how he talked about his residency at The White Building in 2016. FACT is the UK’s leading media arts centre based in Liverpool, offering a unique programme of exhibitions, film and participant-led art projects.