Day 1 | Talks & Masterclasses | Onassis ONX / AiR Open Days 2024

12:00 – 13:00: Masterclass | Critical Gaming and Machinima: The Art of In-Game Filmmaking

Total Refusal

Total Refusal is an artists’ collective that appropriates contemporary video games to both shed critical light on their dominant narratives and political significance and to misuse their resources to tell new narratives that ignore the gameplay mechanics intended by the game developers.

Guided by members of Total Refusal, the masterclass aims to provide an entry point into the appropriation of digital media. After an introduction to the collective’s artistic strategies and approaches, we will look into the practice of in-game filmmaking. The games “Red Redemption 2” and “GTA V” have served as fertile grounds for artists and filmmakers alike. In the masterclass, we will explore the possibilities and restrictions of these tools and answer all questions regarding critical gaming as a strategy for subversive media production.

About Total Refusal

The pseudo-Marxist media guerilla Total Refusal is a collective of artists, researchers, and filmmakers who upcycle the resources of mainstream video games to create political narratives in the form of videos, interventions, performances, and lectures. The collective's themes are informed by critical game studies and social theory in an attempt to promote and popularize a counter-hegemonic left. Their work has been screened at over 300 film and art festivals and exhibited at various spaces. Since their foundation in 2018, Total Refusal have been awarded more than 65 prizes and honorary mentions.

15:00 – 16:00: Masterclass | V-REAL: XR, Game Engines, and Spatial Storytelling

SOAP

“V-REAL,” a VR experience in development by the creative collective SOAP, critically examines the commodification of domestic life, shedding light on its impact on housing markets and the monetization of private data. This masterclass offers participants an exclusive look into the creative process, exploring SOAP’s use of XR technologies, game engines, and dramaturgical strategies to craft their vision. Discussions will delve into the intersection of technology, intimacy, and domesticity, showcasing how these themes are explored within the evolving medium of VR. SOAP are the 2024 artists-in-residence at Onassis Stegi as part of the European Media Arts Platform.

About SOAP

SOAP (some online architecture practice) is a creative collective that works extensively with online environments and social media platforms. Our interest and fascination revolve around the exploration of space, its formation, habitation, and the interaction of political and social influences in digital domains. By bringing together researchers and practitioners from a variety of fields, including architecture, scenography, and new media arts, we hope to uncover new perspectives on the profound implications of virtual spaces in contemporary society.

16:30 – 18:30: Masterclass | Unleash (Words, Bodies, Myths and Other Things)

Eva Papamargariti, Onassis AiR Fellow

This session offers a glimpse into the creative process and artistic practices of Eva Papamargariti, exploring themes such as becoming, grotesque, metamorphosis, liminality, and mythologies. Through a blend of analog and digital media, the session will showcase tools, methods, and techniques used to create immersive artworks. Attendees will also have the opportunity to view examples of completed installations from recent years and gain insights into an exciting in-progress project currently being developed as part of the artist’s residency at Onassis AiR.

About Eva Papamargariti

Eva Papamargariti is an artist, based between Athens and London. She uses a variety of mediums such as moving image, printed material, and sculptural installations to explore the relationships of cognitive and affective interaction between the multiple realities that we live in, as well as the dynamic intra-connection and intra-action of events between diverse systems.

Her work dwells in the suspended moment and space where grotesque, fiction, and realism collide, and an amalgam of diverse realities emerges. Papamargariti’s research and practice delve into themes related to the notions of identification and metamorphosis, the idea of simultaneity, and the merging and dissolving of our surroundings with the virtual, the mundane, the eerie, and the extraordinary.

She has exhibited in solo shows, group shows, and screenings worldwide, in respected institutions, museums, and festivals, such as the New Museum (New York), Whitney Museum (New York), Tate Britain (London), MAAT Museum (Lisbon), EMST (Athens), Museum of Moving Image (New York), MoMA PS1 (New York), GAMeC Museum (Bergamo), Pioneer Works (New York), Museum of Contemporary Art (Montreal), The Bass (Miami), Athens Biennale (Athens), Mediterranean Biennale (San Marino), Thessaloniki Biennale (Thessaloniki), MUTEK (Montreal), Transmediale Festival (Berlin), MIRA Festival (Madrid), New Now Festival (Zollverein), Ars Electronica (Linz), Liste Art Fair (Basel), and Kunstraum Niederostereich (Vienna).

She has been invited as a resident artist at LUMA Foundation in Arles, France (2023), and at the New Now residency at Zollverein, Germany (2023). Her work is featured in public and private collections such as the Dakis Joannou Collection (Deste Foundation), Onassis Foundation, PCAI Collection, MOMuS, etc.

Eva Papamargariti is a participant of the Onassis AiR Extended Research Residencies program for 2024/25.

19:00 – 19:30: Artist Talk | Voices

Margarita Athanasiou, Onassis AiR Fellow

Margarita Athanasiou will present aspects of her practice, focusing on how digital collage can be a tool for storytelling. The talk will center on the creative process behind her immersive video installation, “VOICES,” which dives into the hidden histories of Victorian-era mediums and New Age spiritualists, as well as her own grandmother. What emerges is a story about female empowerment, capitalism, and the unexpected relationship between information technology and the spirit world. Her riveting video essay makes the case for the body as the ultimate communication device.

About Margarita Athanasiou

Margarita Athanasiou is a multidisciplinary artist, poet, and organizer based in Athens, Greece. She is a digital collagist working with the mediums of video and print while a big part of her practice revolves around artist publishing. Her work is text-based and explores sidelined female histories, often combining research with autobiography and humor. Athanasiou is the co-founder of the Athens Art Book Fair, an Onassis AiR fellow, an ARTWORKS fellow, an active participant in various queer/feminist projects, and a passionate meme artist. Margarita Athanasiou was a participant of the Exchange Residencies Program of Οnassis AiR 2019-20 at CAPACETE (Brazil), the Tailor-made Fellowships program 2022-23 and of theTailor-made Residencies program 2023/24.

16:00 – 17:30: Talk | Distribution activity in XR

Paul Bouchard, Partner & Director of Acquisitions & Business Development, Diversion Cinema

Explore the evolving landscape of XR distribution in this insightful session, drawing from Diversion Cinema’s real-world experiences, successes, challenges, and lessons learned over the past seven years. Through several distribution case studies, we’ll dive into the formats shaping the future of immersive content, including VR, AR, full domes, and interactive installations.
Discover actionable strategies for distribution while gaining a forward-looking perspective on how to reach the public. This session is designed for creators, producers, and industry professionals looking to navigate and anticipate the complexities of immersive content distribution and stay ahead of the curve.

About Paul Bouchard

With over a decade of experience in the film industry and international sales, Paul Bouchard has dedicated his career to supporting innovative storytelling. In 2018, he joined Diversion Cinema to develop and lead its international VR distribution department, driven by a passion for exploring the possibilities of immersive media.

Paul’s career began in the traditional film sector, where he gained valuable expertise working with companies such as UGC, SND Films, and the Cannes Film Market. In 2014, he took on the role of Head of Business and Legal Affairs at WIDE, overseeing acquisitions and co-productions. Recognizing the potential of virtual reality early on, Paul launched WIDE’s VR division in 2017, gaining hands-on experience in this emerging field.

Believing that immersive technology offers new creative avenues for artists, Paul’s goal at Diversion Cinema is to establish a sustainable distribution model that brings high-quality immersive experiences to audiences worldwide. Today, Diversion’s catalog features over 70 immersive works, including VR 360 films, interactive installations, full-dome shows, and immersive projections.

Since 2021, Paul has also contributed to the industry as a member of the Unifrance “Short Films & Immersive Commission” and serves on the HACNUM Board of Directors, supporting the growth of digital arts in France.

Paul remains committed to fostering innovation and collaboration in the immersive media space, helping creators reach new audiences and push the boundaries of storytelling.

18:00 – 19:00: Talk | Unpacking Blur: Producing Immersive Experiences at Scale

Coline Delbaere & Julie Tremblay, Phi Studio

Dive into the behind-the-scenes process of producing large-scale immersive experiences with Coline Delbaere and Julie Tremblay. Drawing from their extensive work on innovative immersive productions, the speakers will outline best practices for transitioning from traditional productions to immersive formats, and provide practical guidance and lessons learned to help you navigate the challenges of bringing immersive projects to life.

PHI Studio is a leading creative hub at the intersection of art, technology, and innovation. Based in Montreal, the studio specializes in immersive experiences. With a focus on blending the physical and digital worlds, PHI Studio collaborates with artists, technologists, and storytellers to craft pioneering projects that push the boundaries of immersive and interactive media. Known for its commitment to excellence and experimentation, PHI is at the forefront of shaping the future of experiential art.