Suzanne Treister - Amiga Videogame Stills

Suzanne Treister
1991-1992

Fictional Videogame Stills

In the late 1980s I was making paintings about computer games. In January 1991 I bought an Amiga computer and made a series of fictional videogame stills using Deluxe Paint II. I photographed them straight from the screen as there was no other way to output them that I knew of apart from through a very primitive daisy wheel printer where they appeared as washed out dots.

The effect of the photographs perfectly reproduced the highly pixellated, raised needlepoint effect of the Amiga screen image. Conceptually this means of presentation was also appropriate in that it made it seem like I had gone into a videogame arcade and photographed the games there, lending authenticity to the fiction.

The first seven works on this page form a series titled, 'Q. Would you recognise a Virtual Paradise?'

Many of these works were shown in London at the Edward Totah Gallery in March 1992 (view installation) and later that year at the Exeter Hotel in Adelaide, Australia.
In 1995 the 'Q. Would you recognise a Virtual Paradise?' series was shown in London at the Royal Festival Hall in the exhibition It's a Pleasure, curated by Leah Kharibian.
Recent venues: Somerset House, London, 2018 view installation ; Akron Art Museum, Ohio, USA 2019 and tour; Moderna Museet, Stockholm, Sweden, 2019/20 view installation

The original Amiga floppy disks which stored the image files are corrupt, but the photographic art works remain.

For more information download my essay from 'Videogames and Art', Ed. Andy Clarke, Grethe Mitchell, Publ. Intellect Books, UK 2007

view video version

click titles below to view enlargements of photo works

Would You Recognise A Virtual Paradise? Not Enough Memory Presume Virtual Breakdown Virtual Wilderness

Software Failure... Error Finding Question No Message - Proceed You Have Lost Control - Change Identity

.

Are You Dreaming? Dream Monster. Easyworld 5 Examine The Evidence

Fate Worse Than Death Gates Of Wisdom Incidents Reported Do You Know?

Lost In Space Blinded By The Text Monster Visions/ SongTitles Identify The Murder Weapon

Mutant Territories- Grand Prix Quiz 2 No Quiz Quiz - 10 Questions

Would You Like To Make A Wish? Choose An Exit You Can Move In All Directions Have you ever played this game before?

Choose a Number Player 1 Player 2 Four Exits All Exits Are Closed

Cremation Boxes Can You Open The Box? Extinguish Targets Begin Again

What Would You Say? Answer Twice Roadblock What Is Implied?

Is This The Beginning? Gameworld Congratulations Roses How Would You Like It?

Voyage Of Discovery Between The Clues Either It Explains All A Lovers Video Game

Look No Further Horizontal Descent Where Are You Now?
Player 1 Proceed

Balloons Ladders Disappearing Trick The Murder Weapon

Treister homepage

© Suzanne Treister 1991/1992

Suzanne Treister 1991-1992 Fictional Videogame Stills In the late 1980s I was making paintings about computer games. In January 1991 I bought an Amiga computer and made a series of fictional videogame stills using Deluxe Paint II. I photographed them straight from the screen as there was no other way to output them that I knew of apart from through a very primitive daisy wheel printer where they appeared as washed out dots. The effect of the photographs perfectly reproduced the highly pixellated, raised needlepoint effect of the Amiga screen image. Conceptually this means of presentation was also appropriate in that it made it seem like I had gone into a videogame arcade and photographed the games there, lending authenticity to the fiction. The first seven works on this page form a series titled, 'Q. Would you recognise a Virtual Paradise?' Many of these works were shown in London at the Edward Totah Gallery in March 1992 (view installation) and later that year at the Exeter Hotel in Adelaide, Australia. In 1995 the 'Q. Would you recognise a Virtual Paradise?' series was shown in London at the Royal Festival Hall in the exhibition It's a Pleasure, curated by Leah Kharibian. Recent venues: Somerset House, London, 2018 view installation ; Akron Art Museum, Ohio, USA 2019 and tour; Moderna Museet, Stockholm, Sweden, 2019/20 view installation The original Amiga floppy disks which stored the image files are corrupt, but the photographic art works remain. For more information download my essay from 'Videogames and Art', Ed. Andy Clarke, Grethe Mitchell, Publ. Intellect Books, UK 2007 view video version click titles below to view enlargements of photo works

Would You Recognise A Virtual Paradise?	Not Enough Memory	Presume Virtual Breakdown	Virtual Wilderness

Software Failure...	Error Finding Question	No Message - Proceed	You Have Lost Control - Change Identity
		.
Are You Dreaming?	Dream Monster.	Easyworld 5	Examine The Evidence

Fate Worse Than Death	Gates Of Wisdom	Incidents Reported	Do You Know?

Lost In Space	Blinded By The Text	Monster Visions/ SongTitles	Identify The Murder Weapon

Mutant Territories- Grand Prix	Quiz 2	No Quiz	Quiz - 10 Questions

Would You Like To Make A Wish?	Choose An Exit	You Can Move In All Directions	Have you ever played this game before?

Choose a Number	Player 1 Player 2	Four Exits	All Exits Are Closed

Cremation Boxes	Can You Open The Box?	Extinguish Targets	Begin Again

What Would You Say?	Answer Twice	Roadblock	What Is Implied?

Is This The Beginning?	Gameworld Congratulations	Roses	How Would You Like It?

Voyage Of Discovery	Between The Clues	Either It Explains All	A Lovers Video Game

Look No Further	Horizontal Descent	Where Are You Now?	Player 1 Proceed

Balloons Ladders	Disappearing Trick	The Murder Weapon