Saturophage: “Real” Game World
In the summer of 2023, an intriguing miniature landscape called Grey Hollow Village unfolded in the heart of Bangkok. This setting was part of an immersive exhibition named Saturophage, which presented a vision of a post-singularity world. The exhibition aimed to reflect the current technological shifts and the timeless coevolution of humans and technology.
As a visitor, the experience began with an invitation to explore Grey Hollow Village, where one immediately felt a departure from the ordinary world. The atmosphere was thick with a continuous drone, occasionally interrupted by gusts of wind rustling the skeletal branches of trees. These trees, long since deprived of their leaves, cast ghostly silhouettes against the monochromatic landscape, which set the tone for the mysterious realm of Grey Hollow.
The characters within this world were meticulously developed through an iterative process. Initially, kitbashing was employed for their design, followed by digitization and AI algorithmic interpretation. The final forms were realized through 3D printing and object collage, maintaining geometric coherence with the theme of Grey Hollow Village using tools like Midjourney.
The immersive nature of Saturophage was designed to be participatory. In the initial phase, known as the White Phase, visitors explored the village, where the vibrant hues of reality were replaced by a monochromatic world. The once-lush vegetation now appeared as ghostly silhouettes, creating an eerie but captivating environment.
Upon returning to the village for the Red Phase, visitors noticed a significant change. The atmosphere felt different, almost violent, with a strong red permeating the landscape. The virus, which played a central role in the exhibition’s narrative, had evolved, leading to changes in the people and the land. Where color had once vanished, new growth began to emerge.
The experience continued to evolve into the Blue Phase, where the village underwent retribalization. Factions emerged, each with distinct goals. The Sha, protectors of the earth, sought a balance between new and old. The Ko, musicians and creatives, aimed to harness the virus’s potential for empowerment. The Coven, manipulators and logicians, sought control in response to the changes. Meanwhile, the villagers preferred a natural course, adapting to the ongoing transformations. Visitors were invited to engage with these factions and influence the direction of the village’s evolution.
The final phase, the Green Phase, introduced a geocaching treasure hunt. The Saturophage virus had left its mark, reshaping Grey Hollow Village. As the village transferred its power, the essence of the exhibition was distributed across the land, waiting to be discovered by treasure hunters and travelers.
Despite being staged in Bangkok, the exhibition had deep roots in the Appalachian region. It was the brainchild of technologist James Roha, who merged regional aesthetics and vernacular craft with theoretical concepts from thinkers like Donna Haraway and Liam Young. This fusion aimed to envision a post-singularity world amidst the emergence of AI through the medium of a Real Game World.
The exhibition continued to evolve over four weeks inside the 1559 shophouse gallery. After the local exhibition, various parts of the installation were geocached across Thailand, creating an ongoing interactive experience.
James Roha, reflecting on the exhibition, expressed his intent to create something speculative and accessible, balancing fun and wonder while inspiring critical thinking about the future shaped by new technologies.
The second chapter of Saturophage, titled “Sorn-Lai, the First Forest,” was exhibited in Knoxville in the summer of 2024 by James Roha and Fable X.
