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Emanations of a New World
11 years ago
In my spare time I used to fancy myself an archeologist.
There was an abandoned office complex near the suburbs where I used to live, but it was still open to the public because a small movie theater resided somewhere in its depths. Much of it was barren and closed off though, and I'd often just visit to roam the empty corridors and stairwells. It was a failed venture originally intended as some kind of underground business center. Instead it ended up being the perfect setting for a slasher flick or the shambling undead. What made it particularly eerie was that it had been abandoned from the outset, so everything was left untouched, including napkin holders and straw dispensers. It was like a mausoleum with a food court. The only sound was the faint whirring of a floor buffer being pushed around by an otherwise silent figure, a lone specter always haunting the corridors. A guardian tasked with watching over the decrepit specter of someone's dream.
These days I'm somewhat obsessed with abandoned projects, urban ruins, and remnants of the often bizarre intersection between commerce and culture.
My favorite such place is Tiger Balm Gardens. It was built in early 20th century Hong Kong by a wealthy family to promote their Tiger Balm line of products. It was an urban park of sorts with rides and concessions, but its main attraction was a massive lot of disturbing statues. A Google image search will give you some slim idea as to what the vibe of this place was like. You'll see warriors standing next to politicians, demons of all shapes and sizes, and a giant crab with the smiling head of a little boy coming out of its shell. Large grandiose displays depict scenes from Chinese mythology, including panoramas of hell and many of its unspeakable tortures to delight children of all ages. Get your photo taken against a backdrop of colorfully painted stone breasts. When it's all said and done, be sure to buy some Tiger Balm to sooth your nerves.
Sadly the park was eventually shut down and turned into a housing development, though plenty of unsettling statuary remains as a testament to one family's curious vision. If anything time has only served to enhance the fever dream-like quality of the gardens. Seeing the chipped paint, empty benches, and other remnants of the park amidst the urban backdrop, I can't help but feel a certain sense of melancholy.
The same thing can be seen in the digital realm, and the outcome is perhaps even more fascinating. We've all stumbled upon ancient websites from the early days of ALO. With online gaming however entire worlds are forsaken and preserved as digital ghost towns. Some projects like Worlds and Digital Space Traveler are just plain weird, attempts at expanding the concept of chat rooms into various open world environments that are often quite trippy. With hardly anyone using these things now, what's left behind are vast, truly alien realms.
Worlds:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iqel0k0NzNU
Digital Space Traveler:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P2ab55DHN0w
These remind me of the abandoned underground food court or the Tiger Balm Gardens, lonely places that are at once both familiar and alien, places built out of cultural artifacts and remembrances. The best part is that just about anyone can explore them.
Let's be digital archeologists together.
There was an abandoned office complex near the suburbs where I used to live, but it was still open to the public because a small movie theater resided somewhere in its depths. Much of it was barren and closed off though, and I'd often just visit to roam the empty corridors and stairwells. It was a failed venture originally intended as some kind of underground business center. Instead it ended up being the perfect setting for a slasher flick or the shambling undead. What made it particularly eerie was that it had been abandoned from the outset, so everything was left untouched, including napkin holders and straw dispensers. It was like a mausoleum with a food court. The only sound was the faint whirring of a floor buffer being pushed around by an otherwise silent figure, a lone specter always haunting the corridors. A guardian tasked with watching over the decrepit specter of someone's dream.
These days I'm somewhat obsessed with abandoned projects, urban ruins, and remnants of the often bizarre intersection between commerce and culture.
My favorite such place is Tiger Balm Gardens. It was built in early 20th century Hong Kong by a wealthy family to promote their Tiger Balm line of products. It was an urban park of sorts with rides and concessions, but its main attraction was a massive lot of disturbing statues. A Google image search will give you some slim idea as to what the vibe of this place was like. You'll see warriors standing next to politicians, demons of all shapes and sizes, and a giant crab with the smiling head of a little boy coming out of its shell. Large grandiose displays depict scenes from Chinese mythology, including panoramas of hell and many of its unspeakable tortures to delight children of all ages. Get your photo taken against a backdrop of colorfully painted stone breasts. When it's all said and done, be sure to buy some Tiger Balm to sooth your nerves.
Sadly the park was eventually shut down and turned into a housing development, though plenty of unsettling statuary remains as a testament to one family's curious vision. If anything time has only served to enhance the fever dream-like quality of the gardens. Seeing the chipped paint, empty benches, and other remnants of the park amidst the urban backdrop, I can't help but feel a certain sense of melancholy.
The same thing can be seen in the digital realm, and the outcome is perhaps even more fascinating. We've all stumbled upon ancient websites from the early days of ALO. With online gaming however entire worlds are forsaken and preserved as digital ghost towns. Some projects like Worlds and Digital Space Traveler are just plain weird, attempts at expanding the concept of chat rooms into various open world environments that are often quite trippy. With hardly anyone using these things now, what's left behind are vast, truly alien realms.
Worlds:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iqel0k0NzNU
Digital Space Traveler:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P2ab55DHN0w
These remind me of the abandoned underground food court or the Tiger Balm Gardens, lonely places that are at once both familiar and alien, places built out of cultural artifacts and remembrances. The best part is that just about anyone can explore them.
Let's be digital archeologists together.
