(Essay)

Snake

Guy Louden
'Snake', 2020, software, live financial data and news.


'Snake' is a remake of the classic videogame but as a critique of techno-capitalism. It understands the ultra financialised tech industry as both totally trivial and dead menacing.

The work plays on the game mechanics of the original — the player scores and grows until they they inevitably crash. During each play-through the game pulls live data into the frame. One side shows realtime financials from big tech companies, while the other shows breaking news in the startup scene. Between them, the mythic symbol of the ouroboros slowly revolves — the snake that eats its own tail. When the player crashes it is 'game over', but they are always offered a new game.

'Snake' is playable on web browsers on desktop and on artist-made hardware.

Guy Louden is an Australian artist and curator living in Fremantle/ Walyalup and born in Toronto. He has run and founded experimental galleries and curated major exhibitions. Louden's artwork has been exhibited in Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, Brisbane and online.