In what is easily one of the more interesting press releases I’ve seen in awhile, Square Enix has announced that they’ve commissioned several New York City artists to create “one-of-a-kind” pieces inspired by Deus Ex: Human Revolution, and that all of the resulting artwork will be showcased at an art exhibition starting on July 11th.
Legendary and Emerging Contemporary Artists Bring to Life the World of DEUS EX: HUMAN REVOLUTION
Well-known artists Estevan Oriol, N8 Van Dyke, Sam Flores and Jeremy Fish celebrate opening of NYC exhibition with creations inspired by Square Enix’s highly anticipated DEUS EX: HUMAN REVOLUTION
LOS ANGELES, June 20, 2011 – Square Enix, Inc., the publisher of SQUARE ENIX® interactive entertainment products in the Americas, announced today the lineup of esteemed artists from the street art, visual, graffiti, and photography space who will debut original works in New York City, on July 11 at 28 at the Wooster Street Social Club to bring to life the world of DEUS EX®: HUMAN REVOLUTIONâ„¢. The game’s future setting dealing with the moral and ethical perils of artificial body augmentation is fertile creative ground for artistic talent.
The New York City exhibition will run for two weeks, and open with a launch that will play host to the who’s/who of the NYC art world. The following artists have been commissioned to create one-of-a-kind pieces that explore the game’s key storyline: the state of humanity, which in the DEUS EX: HUMAN REVOLUTION world is currently at its turning point due to cybernetic augmentation. Proceeds from the sale of the artwork will be put towards supporting further education in the arts.
‘¢ 3rassiere comprised of Justin Metros and Alex Tarrant who is the editor of New Media/Technology at JUXTAPOZ magazine, as well as a designer at Upper Playground and 900bats. They live and work in San Francisco.
‘¢ Estevan Oriol – is a veteran Los Angeles-based photographer whose work focuses on LA culture and lifestyles. His work his currently on display at the “Art in the Streets” exhibition at the MOCA.
‘¢ Eyeone – is a Los Angeles-based artist with a body of work ranging from street art to graphic design. His work is currently on display at Pasadena Museum of California Art.
‘¢ Jeremy Fish – hails from San Francisco, and acts as both a fine artist-exhibiting his work in domestic and international galleries- and a commercial illustrator and designer, creating murals, vinyl toys, apparel, and more.
‘¢ Jorge Alderete is a Mexico-based artist known for his explosive international collection of contemporary and custom art.
‘¢ N8 Van Dyke – is an artist and illustrator whose work spans a wide variety of mediums, from pencil and ink to acrylic and oil pants. His uniquely detailed work has been featured in galleries around the world.
‘¢ Rico Deniro – exhibited his first solo show earlier this year at the FIFTY24SF Gallery in San Francisco. His art direction resulted in a collection of pop culture icons, hand-carved into mask form, by rural Mexican villagers who had no idea who these icons were.
‘¢ Robert Abeyta, Jr. – having served as art director for brands like Stussy and Nike, Rob Abeyta, Jr. is renowned for his many skills in the fields of graphic design, painting, street art, and founder of the creative applications group, DualForces.
‘¢ Sam Flores- is a graphic designer, street artist, and fine artist in San Francisco, California. His work has been displayed in many galleries and art publications.
“Creating the right visual look and feel for DEUS EX: HUMAN REVOLUTION was of critical importance to help set the tone of the incredibly rich storyline and enhance the game’s universe,” said Jonathan Jacques-Belletete, art director of DEUS EX: HUMAN REVOLUTION, Eidos-Montreal. “The art direction in the game is extremely distinctive, with its main elements being a polished blend of cyberpunk flavor and aesthetics from the Renaissance, and super slick contemporary designs such as modern architecture and geometrical art installations. It’s exciting to bring more focus to videogame inspired art and it will be really interesting to see how the theme of transhumanism in DEUS EX: HUMAN REVOLUTION is interpreted by the unique group of artists participating in this project.”
“With support from Square Enix, Juxtapoz and the art community, we’ve selected a group of artists from all disciplines who will explore both pro and anti-augmentation in their works, based on the captivating storyline from the game,” said Estevan Oriol, co-founder and creative director of SA Studios Global. “This show will seamlessly combine several art forms and styles through the lens of the futuristic DEUS EX: HUMAN REVOLUTION world.”
Each artist will create one poster style image, inspired by either the pro-augmentation or anti-augmentation factions as seen in DEUS EX: HUMAN REVOLUTION. Patrick Martinez, art director for SA Studios, will lend his talents to transforming the overall gallery space to create an experience that aptly depicts what’s in the game. Many of the artists participating in the show are expected to attend the exhibition’s opening.
About DEUS EX: HUMAN REVOLUTION
Praised for its in-game art and cinema-quality storyline, DEUS EX is one of the most critically acclaimed video game franchises of all time; DEUS EX: HUMAN REVOLUTION will be available at North American retailers on August 23, 2011, for the PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system, Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, Windows PC, Steam®, and OnLive®.
For more information about DEUS EX: HUMAN REVOLUTION visit www.deusex.com and join the human revolution at http://www.facebook.com/DeusEx.
About SA Studios Global
SA Studios Global is a full service marketing and creative agency that specializes in strategically positioning brands, products and experiences at the core of culturally diverse markets. Our clients include Nike, PepsiCo, Microsoft, Universal Pictures, Square-Enix and MetroPCS. Visit www.sastudiosglobal.com for more information.
About Square Enix, Inc.
Square Enix, Inc. develops, publishes, distributes and licenses SQUARE ENIX®, EIDOS® and TAITO® branded entertainment content throughout the Americas as part of the Square Enix Group. The Square Enix Group operates a global network of leading development studios and boasts a valuable portfolio of intellectual property, including: FINAL FANTASY®, which has sold over 100 million units worldwide; DRAGON QUEST®, which has sold over 58 million units worldwide; TOMB RAIDER®, which has sold over 35 million units worldwide; and the legendary SPACE INVADERS®. Square Enix, Inc. is a U.S.-based, wholly-owned subsidiary of Square Enix Holdings Co., Ltd.
More information on Square Enix, Inc. can be found at http://www.square-enix.com/na/.
