Mascha Negri, Luftige Enge, 2023

In Luftige Enge, Mascha Negri explores the industrial zones of Los Santos, seeking perspectives and angles reminiscent of photographers Germaine Krull as well as Bernd and Hilla Becher. As Negri navigates through the game’s structures, the images reveal the pixels of the screen, the polygons shaping the 3D architecture, and the textures of virtual pipes and chimneys. Utilising a smartphone camera, Negri captures the game screen, emphasising the simulated environment’s characteristics while aligning with the tradition of black and white architectural photography. Through digital editing on a smartphone app, she applies high-contrast black and white filters to accentuate the geometric forms of the structures.

«Airy narrow» – the English translation of Luftige Enge – aptly describes the juxtaposition of the ephemeral smoke emanating from the pipes against the substantial, densely packed buildings. This title points to the contrasts between the ethereal and the solid, the analog and the digital. Furthermore, these dichotomies reflect broader themes: the shift from a post-industrial society to the burgeoning game industry economy, and the representation of disappearing heavy industries in the West through the game’s virtual buildings.

Finally, Negri’s project invites viewers to consider the temporality and transience of urban industrial landscapes, both real and simulated. By focusing on the interplay of light and shadow, her photographs not only document the environment of Los Santos but also evoke a sense of puzzling nostalgia for the architectural heritage of industrialisation, further enriching the layers of interpretation in her work. This element adds depth to the visual dialogue about the evolution of industrial spaces in both physical and digital realms.