love.exe

Coming soon…

30th August - 28th of September 2024 for Bleed Biennial

click here for more info and to access the digital work

Enter a world of digital romance, social surrogacy and immersive art.

Inspired by fandom and the companion characters of Baldur’s Gate 3, love.exe explores how we can seek solace, connection, validation – and love – in the digital realm.

Audiences are invited to navigate a playful and immersive installation space where shrines devoted to these iconic videogame characters are infused with a vibrant collision of geek culture, kitsch romance and Jarra Karalinar Steel’s signature Blak style.

On the BLEED website, indulge in the bleed between roleplay and reality. Audiences are asked to write their own devotional tribute to their favourite companions – creating a digital bank of love letters celebrating fandom and fantasy.

love.exe traverses the romantic and emotional landscapes that emerge when we fall deeply into another world, and deeply in love with its inhabitants. 

Artist Statement

Growing up in the 1990s, romantic love was rarely represented in Jarra Karalinar Steel’s community in the media, and discussions about love often excluded romantic love.

Jarra found herself being immersed in video games such as Quest for Glory, Fallout, Baldur’s Gate 2, all featuring romance mechanics that allowed players to form in-game relationships. This passion continued as an adult with the Dragon Age series and most recently with Baldur’s Gate 3. The well-crafted, mature characters and relationships, as well as the fandom surrounding the companions inspired Jarra to explore the emotions behind fictional romances and the communities they foster.

love.exe is an installation that delves into the emotional landscapes of fictional relationships found in these games. It reflects on how virtual connections often serve as social surrogates, offering a safe space for people to explore their desires and emotions.

Participants are invited to engage in an immersive environment, encouraging them to relax, converse, and contribute their own digital love letters.

love.exe emphasises the intricate relationships between our digital interactions and our emotional realities, shaping how we understand ourselves and our connections to others.

Digital work Statement:

Here, indulge in the bleed between roleplay and reality. You’re encouraged to write your own devotional tribute to your favourite characters – adding to this digital bank of love letters celebrating fandom and fantasy.

This expression of communal fandom taps into memory, nostalgia and mushy feelings, ultimately inviting reflection on how we experience romance and the interplay between our digital and emotional lives.

Letters can be signed off anonymously but will be readable and form part of the ongoing digital work.