Artist Statement
The Sweet Fold is a game currently in development that follows several characters as they escape a decades-long territorial dispute between their respective countries—Auba Kaarvelia and Galwefen—creating new friendships and bonds of trust along the way. The narrative of the game play centers on family, friendship, and romance, with everyone working together to end the fighting and create a new age of communication. There are a lot of games that glorify war and violence, when in reality it is horrifying, taking its toll on everyone. When establishing the backstory for this world, the focus of the narrative shifts away from the conflict. Details about the dispute remain vague, centering the game play within relationship-building and cooperative play.
Auba Kaarvelian and Galwefen have distinct cultural identities, drawn from real-life societies. In order to be respectful of the cultures I reference, I researched traditional garb, armor, architecture, and patterns from Poland, Zaire, and India. The main character, Zaar, was drafted into the Auba Kaarvelian military and defected upon the massacre of her unit by Galwefen soldiers. She is searching for sanctuary somewhere free from conflict in order to contact her family at home. Eryk is a prince from Galwefen who has left his kingdom, feeling betrayed by the war his mother, the Queen, is fighting and blaming her for his lover’s death at the hands of an Auba Kaarvelian spy. Upon Eryk’s abandonment of the crown, Mel, a tree spirit born in the palace gardens follows, hoping to keep their friend from falling into the path of darkness. The three meet up beyond the borders of their respective countries, forging a bond and allowing themselves to grow for the first time since the war began.
This current iteration of The Sweet Fold focuses on development of the three main characters, including splash art and turnarounds. These works appear in a setting reminiscent of what a young adult or college student may have as they prepare to play war games or fighting games in their home. The installation evokes a familiar space, where characters from The Sweet Fold appear ready to play. This work was born from a love for video games and a desire to see change in how we address conflict. I pull LGBTQ+ representation into a conventionally cis-genderedand heterosexual world for both myself, as well as others searching for someone similar to themselves in a video game play environment.
