In this body of work, the *Ork Series*, Theo Triantafyllidis re-imagines the exhibition space as his own virtual studio. He embodies an Ork avatar, who uses digital tools to create 3D forms, which are then manifested physically as large-scale wood sculptures. This process is recorded through DIY Motion Capture and displayed on a mobile screen in the exhibition space. By moving the screen structure throughout the space, the audience is able to view the sculpture while simultaneously experiencing the artist’s digital performance of creating it.

*Nike* can be seen as a re-interpretation of the *Winged Victory of Samothrace*, prominently displayed at the Louvre. Using scrap material available at the studio, the muscular character tries to recreate the sculpture from memory. The sense of awe, struggle, destiny and divine grace of the Hellenistic sculpture are playfully misunderstood and intertwined with the synonymous sports company’s ad campaigns. The original’s interplay between the statue and the space around it is expanded to the virtual space.

In creating the Ork character, Triantafyllidis pairs prevalent video game tropes with the performative persona of The Artist. Ork Aesthetics are inspired by medieval contraptions, engineering tools, brutalism, and gaming culture. The artist’s performance considers the concept of virtual labor and production in today's hybrid-reality work environments, as the Ork experiences the frustrations and complications of artistic labor in his virtual studio. After digital creation, his works are rendered physically flat in a purposeful misuse of 3D modeling, coming to occupy an alternative mass and materiality in this augmented and mixed world. Like chasing Pokemon on their phones, viewers are invited to enter the process and performance that created these odd objects.

Links: http://slimetech.org/

Special Thanks to Meredith Rosen Gallery, NY and the Breeder Gallery, Athens GR

Theo Triantafyllidis (b. 1988, Athens, GR) is an artist who builds virtual spaces and the interfaces for the human body to inhabit them. He creates complex worlds and systems where the virtual and the physical merge in uncanny, absurd, and poetic ways. These are manifested as performances, mixed reality experiences, games, and interactive installations. He holds an MFA from UCLA, Design Media Arts and a Diploma of Architecture from the National Technical University of Athens. He is based in LA.