'crossing a field' (saving progress...)

This is a 1/1 animated (mp4) edition and represents something of a personal breakthrough for me, or progress with a new, ongoing series.

I've always loved altering photographs and seeing where it can lead. I'm not afraid to enhance, because there's something in me that wants to enhance nature; make it look strange or new. Although, I also want to resist this, and leave it in its original state (but it's usually nothing people haven't seen before.)

I've always loved video games, indie games, open worlds etc. and enjoy the idea of 'safe exploration', making choices and imagining life as a game, and particularly games which use scenarios from nature and organic structures.

So this piece merges these two loves and tries to promote/present my personal adventures into Nature's 'organic metaverse' as a possible 'indie' style game, not yet realised. Perhaps it will be one day (developers out there!). It also increases my attention and approach to taking a photo series...

In other words: it's changed how I approach taking photographs. I now look out particularly for miniature worlds or scenes which could make good 'indie game screenshots'.

This one is a random field in France on a cold January morning. The sky is promising and an old tractor wheel has forged some route ahead. What are you; a dog out on a walk, searching for your owner; a stray hunting cat, a giant spider or some tiny animal? But, it seems your decisions are being recorded. And those dead stems of broken, human-looking vegetation: do they pose a threat to your passage? Is that the sound of dangerous birds and insects? Do you have any abilities to help you? Perhaps you should proceed cautiously at first...

Artists are inspired by what is around them. If we are all surrounded by more nature, perhaps we would all be making more nature-based art, because it's so fascinating and pure. Perhaps we'd be tethering our imaginations to it a lot more. Because we all want to get closer to it, 'get inside' it; start playing as the animals and insects which inhabit it. Because it seems we've only scratched the surface of what it is, what its forms are doing, and what we can make - or enhance - out of it. Game designers on nature-based game projects get to mix their subconscious needs, and imaginations, with nature's forms, inhabitants and structures. The sky's the limit.

The above are some reasons why I've priced this piece at 0.5 ETH here in 2022. You can find more in this ongoing 'Organic Metaverse' series via my Opensea collection on Polygon, which continues to evolve (thanks to this piece, and others from the 'field' series of frozen figures).

I've chosen this one for MakersPlace, onto Ethereum, as it marks a turning point or progression for lots more potential images.

So... are you ready, players of nature? To go deeper into the organic metaverse around us...

Note: To thank brave collectors/supporters(/'players') of this piece, they will be sent 2 extra (static, higher res.) images from the 'Organic Metaverse' (field) series via Polygon.

May you cross your field safely, and play the game with wonder and excitement.

ade mc @ ade's press 2022