Angelas' Flood

Cassie McQuater (Detroit, EE.UU, 1987) uses digital media to build alternative worlds in which accepted narratives are reimagined. Angela’s Flood, based on the central panel of The Garden of Earthly Delights, is a paradise designed for female video game characters, a joyful space which subverts the violent, sexist tropes often associated with gaming. The title derives from the work’s protagonist, Angela Belti, a muscular fighter from the Power Instinct series (Atlus, for Arcade, 1993) whose appearance challenges the retro game stereotype of svelte, scantily-dressed women. Sprites including sea creatures, tiny elves and insects come together in this utopia contained within 2000 lines of HTML code. At Matadero Madrid, Angela’s Flood is presented on two television screens, enabling viewers to experience different scenes from the video work at the same time.