Occentatia is a project that explores inclusivity and queer theory through world and character building, influenced by an action-adventure, platform-gaming lens. Presented not just in the art and concepts of video game development, but also through ethical world-building with members of a collaborative design team. We push for and incorporate women’s, queer, and marginalized voices. Occentatia utilizes several formats, including concept and video game art, character design, sculptures, digital paintings, programming, and electronic music. A team of artists, gamers, technophiles, producers, graphic designers, and writers collaborate to produce these various elements. Occentatia is explicitly a team effort. Though I coordinate, delegate, orchestrate, and have a hand in all production as project manager, it is not a one-person creation. The community and shared experiences fostered while working on this project are crucial to my practice, as it allows for accountable, safe(r) spaces, and building various experiences from a collective reverie into a reality. By creating this team, I strive to generate a space where members can explore and build content with their individual talents. Whichever magnitude or outlet of medium(s) Occentatia exists in, we invite viewers and participants who are compelled to produce fantastical experiences through comfort, excitement, happiness, adventure, community, art, and healing.
OCCENTATIA TEAM: Ian Cooper (Kaelin) - Project Manager: Lead Artist & Designer, Pixel Artist, Concept Artist, Producer, and Production Breana Green (Denae Green) - Graphic Designer Daniel Elliot (GayThembo) - Music Producer DAMIAN- Music Producer Noah Renken-Kapatos - Music Producer CEL SHADE - Producer Lys Shilling - Animator, Game Design Mars Filipek - Concept Artist Kyra Auguste - Concept Artist, and Graphic Designer Josiah Wilcoski - Concept Artist Alan Atkins - Concept Artist Morgan Latko - Concept Artist Spencer Ray - Concept Artist Sarah Eckstine - Photographer Minh Ha (Jade) Nguyen - Photographer Cream Kween (Jeffrey Schaefer) - Stylist Mary Collado - Concept Artist Zac Keithley - Concept Artist Lauren Stipp - Video/Projection/ Installation Leonardo Leon (SUNPIXELS) - Pixel Artist Ellenor Tangfelt - Pixel Artist Draper Matthews - Glass - Sculpture Artist