PHANTOM (2023, IDFA DocLab)

IDFA DocLab | Amsterdam, Netherlands | November, 2023

PHANTOM is my extended reality-infused digital art project about mental health disintegration. The project was initially created in 2021 through Bubblegum Gallery’s residency program. It has since received acclaim, winning a Fak’ugesi Award, and went on to tour in Amsterdam at IDFA DocLab.

The following is the synopsis written on IDFA’s website: “The portraits of the smiling young people on the photo wall could give you the impression that everyone is having a great time, but the South African artist Aluta Null doesn’t go along with all that pretence. In this interactive AR experience, winner of the XR Award at the Fak’ugesi African Digital Innovation Festival earlier this year, Null explores the darkness and complexity of mental illness, mental health issues, and drug addiction.
It’s very hard to explain, let alone understand, what it feels like when your head is falling apart. This is the reason for Null’s choice of ghosts as the main characters. Their elusive state between life and death focuses attention on the confusing or frightening emotions that mental health problems can bring.
Despite the extremely serious subject, Null doesn’t shy away from black, absurd humour, and the effect is both supportive and relieving. What’s the best choice of alcohol to wash down your pills with, and will it kind of go with your Froot Loops?”

The write-up of the project may be viewed at this link: https://festival.idfa.nl/en/film/b738f080-23da-4cf1-aced-eec5af749eca/phantom/

More of PHANTOM can be viewed here: https://alutas-theory.itch.io/phantom-2021

Aluta Null (they/she) is a digital artist and game developer based in Johannesburg, South Africa. Aluta works in a variety of mediums including XR and games to create work that tackles topics surrounding technology, politics, perception, and pop culture. Aluta Null not only spotlights what many consider mundane, but also seeks to break the rules of technology while meditating on what art means, what the digital is, and what their fusion can be.

More information on Aluta Null may be browsed via their LinkTree at this link: https://linktr.ee/alutas_theory