Giorgio de Chirico Stars in Trippy Video Game

Image of SURREALISTa, the video game inspired in the paintings of Giorgio de Chirico
Photo via: SURREALISTa

Are you a fan of video games and surrealism? If so, you are in luck: You can now play SURREALISTa, a new video game developed by Brazilian designer Carlos Monteiro that pays homage to the great proto-surrealist Giorgio de Chirico.

The mysterious and brooding universe created by the Italian artist in the 1910s under the banner of “metaphysical painting” is no longer confined to the canvas: Chirico’s art has well and truly entered the 21st century.

Unlike other contemporary video games such as Dead Space 3 and Gears of War 3, SURREALISTa is a rather mellow and contemplative affair. According to Kill Screen, players of the game are invited wander through virtual renderings of the landscapes imagined by the artist.

Players are also be able to climb virtual walls and towers, solve puzzles, and peruse marble busts as they inhabit these virtual scenarios. The video game has five levels, so perseverance will be rewarded.

SURREALISTa is available as a free download for Windows, Mac, and Linux systems. An extensive upgrade of the platform is scheduled for November 2015, so you have plenty of time to hone your skills before the big release arrives.

Video games seem to be having a bit of a moment in the art world. Last September, the online world-building community Minecraft recreated the British Museum (see British Museum Will Be Rebuilt in Minecraft), while last winter, the virtual gallery Punch a Monet was launched to allow would-be vandals to let off some steam without the consequences (see Another Monet Was Punched).


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