April Meetup

a side view of a yellow car

a side view of a yellow car, is a tiny artistic web project I started in the context of the Welcome to My Homepage Residency. The aim is to experiment and toy with accessibility features such as alt text, audio transcription, but also low-tech media loaders designed for people with low-connectivity internet. The result is this intimate one-page website that features pictures of yellow cars alongside personal reflections on digital imagery in the age of self-driving cars. The website implements multiple accessibility features: an image loader that displays pixelated images by default with an added grainy aesthetic, a contextualized audio transcription of the page, and alt text for all images written in 5-7-5 short poem format.

Developer: Kaspar Ravel

Kaspar Ravel (they/them) is an artist, teacher, and researcher in tactical new media. Their work draws from a tradition of art movements set in between symbolic activism and practical approaches (from subtle gestures to concrete actions). As a self-taught coder and DIY hacker, their intention is to demystify technology, which brings them to encourage low-tech cultures and digital literacy in educational contexts, such as workshops, tutorials and micro-edition. Today, they aspire to develop discursive and programmatic tools for resistance against the veil of big data and globalised surveillance. Their research takes the form of 'poelitical' experiments, merging poetic expression with political critique within on/offline artworks.

ምርቃት (mirik’at) / blessings generator

The ምርቃት (mirik’at) / blessings generator is a collaborative web-based interactive work by Betelhem Makonnen, Mayet, and Mihret Kebede. Inspired by coffee ceremonies and the verbal art of well-wishing from their shared homeland of Ethiopia, the artists created this project to cultivate a new practice of collective care-taking for virtual space.

The website allows visitors to receive blessings on topics ranging from world woes to future hopes, or to receive a customized blessing based on their specific concern. Sharing a wealth of knowledge about the practice of well-wishing, the project invites visitors to bring ምርቃት (mirik’at) into their lives to experience the sense of wellbeing and interconnectedness that come with rooting for each other and honoring interdependence.

Developer: Betelhem Makonnen, Mayet, and Mihret Kebede

A native of Ethiopia, Betelhem Makonnen, researches perception, presence, and place within African diasporic consciousness. In addition to her studio practice she co-organizes Addis Video Art Festival.

Mayet explores the intersection of artificial intelligence, human connection, and creative expression. With a background in international relations, economics, and data science, she examines how technology shapes the way we learn, grow, and interact.

Mihret Kebede is a multidisciplinary artist, poet, and co-founder of Tobiya Poetic Jazz, Netsa Art Village Artists Collective, and Addis International Video Art Festival. Mihret's artistic journey spans local and international projects across cultures.

Ultraprocessor Ribbon

Half brick-breaker action! Half erotic visual novel! Follow the story of Stella and her computer-turned-android Ribbon as they fight to make old computers legal again in the year 2673.

Developer: DemureSoft

DemureSoft is a doujinsoft circle based in Austin, TX, formed by Jennifer Raye to reject the bleak and cynical outlooks of making independent video games. We're carving a new path, one which we hope will inspire others to never lose sight of their passions, and to shout them brilliantly from the rooftops. We strive to push the agendas of bishoujo, eroge, and doujin in America. We will not rest until our city looks like Akihabara.

Holding Patterns

Holding Patterns are three dimensional wooden puzzles created from off-cuts from artist Michael Muelhaupt’s work, originally created for a group show “fitting” at Northern-Southern with Rachael Starbuck and Michael Muelhaupt. The nesting shapes became a metaphor for how social relationships define ourselves and create lasting impressions - community and culture build upon ourselves.

Developer: Jesse Cline

Jesse Cline is a designer, artist, and educator interested in contemporary and experimental methods of representation and production.

Mystic Gauntlets

Mystic Gauntlets is a short and rowdy tabletop card game for 2 to 4 players. Players take turns equipping new Gauntlets, activating their powerful effects, or casting a variety of spells. Each player can have one Gauntlet equipped on their left and another on their right. Each Gauntlet has a unique effect depending on whether they are equipped on the left or the right! Use these effects to destroy other players' Gauntlets, earning you trophies! The game has a variety of modes to play depending on player count, including competitive 1v1, 4 player free-for-all, and two-headed giant team play!

Developer: Ricardo Correa-Altiery

Howdy! I am Ricardo Correa-Altiery, nice to meet ya! To sum up a bit of myself I am a bilingual Puerto Rican Artist, Game Designer / Enthusiast! I have grand aspirations and goals in life, such as telling at least one truly lasting story! I am a fan and admirer of tons of different mediums like animation, cinema, and video games. In my spare time, I enjoy creating video games and board games to share with my friend group.

NetEscape

Once a thriving 90s MMO, NetEscape now stands as a time capsule, housing a dark secret beneath its bright, colorful surface. With the server shutdown looming at midnight, explore, gather clues, and uncover the mystery hidden within NetEscape before the game—and its secrets—are lost forever.

Developer: Goblin Laundromat & Crisppyboat

Goblin Laundromat is a queer-led, game development cooperative and art collective dedicated to creating unique experiences through the medium of gaming and empowering underrepresented voices in the games industry.