TAPPAN

Tell us about this body of work launching on Tappan?

MICHAEL WALL

This series delves deep into the rich mythology of the Creepypasta phenomenon, centering on the enigmatic realm known as "The Backrooms." It's an exploration of existential crises recurring throughout our collective histories, examining how the exponential growth of digital technologies and artificial environments permeates popular culture, shaping a generation's deep-seated fear of being forgotten.

Through a synergy of mediums — sculpture, painting, and new media like digital animation, moving images, and 3D printing — this collection navigates themes of transcendence and the duality of our contemporary realities. Symbolistic imagery reflects the absence of traditional institutional spirituality, hinting at a peculiar form of worship.

Central to this series is the concept of hauntology, emphasizing the persistence of the past in our present. It seeks to encapsulate the essence of a generation amidst the influences of nostalgia, shaping modern mythologies. The title “NO_CLIPPING” draws from the gaming term “Noclip,” mythologizing the ability to traverse game environments with disabled collisions. This concept merges a digital notion with a sinister exploration of what would occur if we tumbled through our physical reality into an eternal maze of liminal spaces — a core principle in the eerie mythos of “The Backrooms.”

The Backrooms' essence has birthed a community that perpetuates its myth, each reinterpretation adding layers to the shared contemporary mythologies prevalent in gaming culture. This mythology heavily leans on nostalgia, glorifying the past as more compelling than the perceived future. The aesthetic of the 1980s-1990s, marked by mechanization and commercialism, stands as a representative of the past generation. Thus, the liminal spaces of "The Back Rooms" are depicted as the non-places of that era — offices, airports, shopping centers — an homage to a bygone zeitgeist.

This engagement with a past zeitgeist introduces specters of past art movements. The Neo-Geometric Conceptualism or Neo-Geo of the 1980s, renowned for its critique of commercialism within American society, resurfaces within this context. Peter Halley's paintings, vividly portraying tangible maze-like circuitry systems, are enfolded within a nostalgic gaze. Simultaneously, the series pays homage to the essence of individuality and a playful melancholy through the symbolic language reminiscent of Keith Haring's pop art, thereby adding nuanced layers to this profound exploration.

TAPPAN

Describe your work in three words:

MICHAEL WALL

Digital Theology lite

TAPPAN

What is your creation process like, how are you conceptualizing and thinking about each of these pieces?

MICHAEL WALL

I like working on pieces as a series, so I will work on what the series is trying to achieve before I begin making. I like to have a concept and visual language that anchors the work, allowing space to not overthink while making. In the past I have found myself not even starting work because I think myself out of it.

TAPPAN

Would you say you have a studio philosophy?

MICHAEL WALL

Nothing rigid; I like to make objects. Things that last. I like the idea of artworks being functional, in the sense that once engaged they give you something in return like how a chair gives you somewhere to sit. Maybe not as physical but maybe more mindful, but I break this all the time too. Sometimes making something without intentions can lead to the most exciting results. I guess thinking about it the answer is no, but that’s boring.