the end of the virtual world

The end of the virtual world 1, 2010, Robert Overweg, Left 4 dead 2The end of the virtual world 2, 2010, Robert Overweg, Left 4 dead 2The end of the virtual world 3, 2010, Robert Overweg, Modern warfare 2The end of the virtual world 4, 2010, Robert Overweg, Modern warfare 2The end of the virtual world 5, 2010, Robert Overweg, Half-life 2The end of the virtual world 6, 2010, Robert Overweg, counter-strike sourceThe end of the virtual world 7, 2010, Robert Overweg, Modern warfare 2

The end of the virtual world 2010, Robert Overweg, Left 4 dead 2, Half life 2, counter-strike source, Modern warfare 2
All images courtesy TAG, The Hague. Photographs presented in 144 x 81 cm satin print on aluminum, edition of 5 or 39,5 x 22,2 cm satin print on aluminum, edition of 5

Artist statement, The end of the virtual world:

This series of photographs originates from four popular first person shooter games (Left 4 dead 2, Half-life 2, counter-strike and modern warfare 2) Unlike you might think the virtual world is not round like the physical world but flat with hard-cut edges. These photographs show us how the virtual world ends. What I find interesting about these photographs is that they behold a certain dramatic almost classical feel to them playing with our real life experiences but cut off.

Taking a closer look at: The end of the virtual world 1

By taking the photographs out of their context of the virtual world and blowing them up in a size of 144cm by 81cm (or larger) the typical aesthetics of games are laid bare. At first glance the photograph seems to represent the physical world really well. After further inspection you might see the identical air conditioners on the roof both have the exact same rust and scratch marks, the brick pattern on the wall on the right has non fitting patterns. The most obvious example is the two colliding roads whom are pasted together.

What other people said about this:

Pages: 1 2

30 Trackbacks

  1. By the end of the virtual world | Shot by Robert on April 27, 2010 at 15:22

    [...] by Robert Streetphotography of the virtual world Skip to content workstreetphotographythe end of the virtual worldglitchesdancepeopledocumenting current spaces 07-09presscontact « [...]

  2. By To the Edge of the World. | Full Glass Empty Clip on June 29, 2010 at 18:35

    [...] Dutch artist Robert Overweg is, in his own words, a photographer in the virtual world. The worlds designed in first person shooters, in his artistic vision, are the new spaces where contemporary society dwells (which is correct, at least if you consider the authors of this blog as “contemporary society”). He’s not very  interested in where the action is, however, preferring to explore and ‘shoot’ at the tranquil fringe of maps and levels or, quite literally, at the end of the world. [...]

  3. By Tweets that mention http://shotbyrobert.com/?page_id=102utm_sourcepingback -- Topsy.com on June 29, 2010 at 21:13

    [...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by . said: [...]

  4. By It’s The End Of The Virtual World As We Know It | Kotaku Australia on June 30, 2010 at 09:19

    [...] [The End Of The Virtual World] [...]

  5. By Al límite de los mundos virtuales, donde ya no hay nada | MultiBlogs.info Noticias on June 30, 2010 at 15:13

    [...] Claro que siempre podemos jugar al Mario Galaxy o al Spore, y no nos toparemos con esta curiosidad. [Imágenes por Robert] [...]

  6. By Al límite de los mundos virtuales, donde ya no hay nada | Ultimos Avances on June 30, 2010 at 15:54

    [...] Claro que siempre podemos jugar al Mario Galaxy o al Spore, y no nos toparemos con esta curiosidad. [Imágenes por Robert] [...]

  7. By É mesmo o fim do mundo… virtual on June 30, 2010 at 18:04

    [...] Sabe aquele cantinho do mapa de Counter Strike ou de Half Life 2 que ninguém ousou explorar? Robert foi até lá e registrou estes e outros momentos de franquias famosas em seu site. [...]

  8. By At The Edge of The Videogame World | Xbox Centre on June 30, 2010 at 18:35

    [...] can see several more images from Overweg’s “The End of the Virtual World” series in his portfolio, but before you check them out you should hear about the inspiration behind these photos: This [...]

  9. By To the Edge of the World | Full Glass Empty Clip on July 1, 2010 at 03:35

    [...] Dutch artist Robert Overweg is, in his own words, a photographer in the virtual world. The worlds designed in first person shooters, in his artistic vision, are the new spaces where contemporary society dwells (which is correct, at least if you consider the authors of this blog as “contemporary society”). He’s not very  interested in where the action is, however, preferring to explore and ‘shoot’ at the tranquil fringe of maps and levels or, quite literally, at the end of the world. [...]

  10. By Digg Alpha Gets Previewed, Photographing the End of Virtual Worlds | Tech News Daily on July 1, 2010 at 23:47

    [...] Photographer Robert Overweg documents the virtual ‘end of the world’ in modern shooters like ‘Left 4 Dead 2,’ ‘Half-Life 2′ and ‘Counterstrike.’ [From: Shot by Robert] [...]

  11. By Digg Alpha Gets Previewed, Photographing the End of Virtual Worlds : Daily Sensations on July 2, 2010 at 00:16

    [...] Photographer Robert Overweg documents the virtual 'end of the world' in modern shooters like 'Left 4 Dead 2,' 'Half-Life 2' and 'Counterstrike.' [From: Shot by Robert] [...]

  12. By Digg Alpha Gets Previewed, Photographing the End of Virtual Worlds | Products & Tech News on July 2, 2010 at 07:25

    [...] Photographer Robert Overweg documents the virtual 'end of the world' in modern shooters like 'Left 4 Dead 2,' 'Half-Life 2' and 'Counterstrike.' [From: Shot by Robert] [...]

  13. By Robert Overweg, séance de shoot dans un FPS… « on July 2, 2010 at 09:38

    [...] Cet explorateur numérique Il a ainsi ramené du monde virtuel d’étonnants clichés issus de FPS à succès, parmi lesquels Left 4 Dead 2, Half-Life 2, Counter-Strike ou encore Modern Warfare 2. Contrairement à vous pourriez penser le monde virtuel n’est pas rond comme le monde physique, mais plat avec des arrêtes de coupe. Ces photographies nous montrent comment le monde virtuel se termine. site ici [...]

  14. By upcoming exhibition in germany köln | Shot by Robert on July 5, 2010 at 13:44

    [...] by Robert Robert Overweg: photographer in the virtual world Skip to content workthe end of the virtual worldglitcheschoreographed dance by gunfirethe people i have metnew perspectivesdocumenting current [...]

  15. By a little note | Shot by Robert on July 5, 2010 at 19:39

    [...] by Robert Robert Overweg: photographer in the virtual world Skip to content workthe end of the virtual worldglitcheschoreographed dance by gunfirethe people i have metnew perspectivesdocumenting current [...]

  16. By Al límite de los mundos virtuales, donde ya no hay nada | TengoFriki on July 11, 2010 at 20:12

    [...] Claro que siempre podemos jugar al Mario Galaxy o al Spore, y no nos toparemos con esta curiosidad. [Imágenes por Robert] [...]

  17. By view from the end of the virtual world | Jerram Culture on July 28, 2010 at 12:21

    [...] You can learn more about this project and Robert Overweg on his website. [...]

  18. By Robert Overweg | Digital Maché on August 5, 2010 at 12:58

    [...] End of the World [...]

  19. By robert overweg – mammoth // building nothing out of something on August 5, 2010 at 21:35

    [...] of the programmed rules and spaces find visual expression.  I recommend “Glitches” and “The end of the virtual world”, in particular. This entry was written by rholmes, posted on August 5, 2010 at 1:00 pm, filed [...]

  20. By 166 – Dead Tweets : Dogear Nation » Podcast on August 15, 2010 at 15:21

    [...] 3-D Internet Collada mesh networks and Hypergrid – Is SL dying? End of the (virtual) world as we know it epredator Eight BILLION dollars  Disney CEO: Social Gaming epredator Yakuza game reviewed by [...]

  21. By Photographs Created in Virtual Worlds on September 18, 2010 at 20:00

    [...] Overweg is a photographer who works in the virtual world. His series, “the end of the virtual world“, contains images captured in popular computer games at the edges of the “world”. [...]

  22. By Photographs Created in Virtual Worlds Rezalutions Magazine Rezalutions on September 19, 2010 at 00:28

    [...] Robert Overweg is a photographer who works in the virtual world. His series, “the end of the virtual world“, contains images captured in popular computer games at the edges of the “world”. Based in [...]

  23. By The end of the virtual world at 填鴨教室 on September 20, 2010 at 16:49

    [...] ● Robert Overweg是一個以虛擬世界景觀為材料的攝影師，他將例如Left 4 dead 2, Half-life 2等第一人稱射擊遊戲中的畫面擷取出來，放大成至少144公分 x 81公分的相片，命名為「The end of the virtual world」並且公開展覽。看來繼之前把Google Street的影像切割成作品後，終於有人把腦筋動到虛擬遊戲上面了。 [...]

  24. By The end of the virtual world | illusion Now on September 21, 2010 at 04:06

    [...] end of the virtual world” by photographer Robert Overweg.         “This series of photographs originates from four popular first person [...]

  25. By [Oo] La fin du monde virtuel en photos | PXLBBQ on September 21, 2010 at 20:20

    [...] une exposition d’un genre un peu étrange. L’auteur, Robert Overweg, c’est amusé à reprendre des screenshots de 4 FPS (Left 4 dead 2, Half-life 2, [...]

  26. By The end of the (virtual) world « WeWasteTime on September 23, 2010 at 10:01

    [...] feel to them playing with our real life experiences but cut off.“ By Robert Overweg. Via. from → on art, on graphic design/illustrations ← gross No comments yet [...]

  27. By Twitted by BettyRenoir on October 5, 2010 at 09:00

    [...] This post was Twitted by BettyRenoir [...]

  28. By URL on August 20, 2012 at 23:51

    … [Trackback]…

    [...] Read More here: shotbyrobert.com/?page_id=102 [...]…

  29. By Les bords du monde | Fins du monde on September 15, 2012 at 19:04

    [...] sur le blog de Reynald Drouhin, les « fins du monde » de l’artiste Robert Overweg, qui photographie les mondes [...]

  30. By Mediacity Seoul 2012: Olga Viso’s Top Picks — Untitled (Blog) — Walker Art Center on October 30, 2012 at 14:23

    [...] 12. Robert Overweg’s haunting still photographs of the precipitous edges of landscapes in video games Robert Overweg, The end of the virtual world 4, Modern warfare 2, 2010. Photo: ShotbyRobert.com [...]

Post a Comment

You must be logged in to post a comment.

  • Shot by Robert

    >
    Robert Overweg is a photographer in virtual world environments. These environments appear in first and third person shooter games but Overweg see’s them operating as a direct extension of his physical world, revealing the new public space of contemporary society.

    Overweg proceeds to the outskirts of the virtual world which he dissects through his photography. In doing so, he draws our attention to environments that are often overlooked and yet ironically appear eerily familiar.