Check out our interviews series featuring members of The Bandidos and artist Danielle Brathwaite-Shirley, in which the young people share their inspirations behind the video game artwork, When Our Worlds Meet (2022).
Watch the full video and find out more about the long-term project below!
Transcript of the Q&A with The Bandidos
December 2022 saw a group of 10 young people, self-titled The Bandidos, come together to begin an exciting collaboration with artist Danielle Brathwaite-Shirley. Over the course of a year, the group aimed to explore the possibilities of digital worlds and create an interactive artwork that represents them.
The project started by mapping out the group's existence within Liverpool, with three questions central to its development: What doesn’t Liverpool have that you need? What does your world need? And, if you had everything you needed to live, what would you want?
Multiple workshops, discussions, and sharing sessions helped shape the ideas and themes that you can find within the artwork. For The Bandidos, the digital worlds created represent ‘all of us individually, and all of us as a group’.
In this video series, you’ll meet five members of The Bandidos - Liam, Tia, Corey, Mia and Donnaya - as they unpack their ideas and inspirations for the game.
Outside an abandoned butcher’s shop within the gallery space, Liam introduces Meat World, which includes influences and game references from people made of meat to pigeon-morphing dragons. Liam discusses the ties to his home city of Liverpool taking us from Anfield to Goodison Park stadium.
Donnaya tells us about Fun World, which players can discover by sitting on the swing set. Once a popular amusement park, Donnaya describes how Fun World has been neglected and how it came to be run-down and abandoned.
Mia breaks down Planet T - an under 18s club featured in the Dystopian Portal, which players can discover in the pond. Here, under 18s are free to express themselves in a safe and supportive space without having to explain themselves to adults!
Sitting in a living-room-like installation, Corey shares their inspirations which can be found within the world Castle of Communism. Corey tells us about why they wanted to have androgynous princesses and looming politicians as part of this world.
At the gallery’s entrance, next to a bus stop sign displaying The Bandidos' Terms and Conditions, Tia becomes the interviewer, asking artist Danielle how they found working with the group of young people and about her favourite games to play.
Discover the full interview series in the video above.
Explore the immersive installation presented in our ground floor gallery until 9 April 2023.
With thanks to members of The Bandidos (Donnaya, Liam, Corey, Tia, Mia, Jayden, Alharith, Jaycob, Em, Jojo) and artist Danielle Brathwaite-Shirley.
Special thanks to the Unity Youth, Positive Futures, Team Oasis, YPAS GYRO and their staff.
This work is commissioned by FACT Liverpool with support from The Ragdoll Foundation, PH Holt Foundation, DWF Foundation and the Eleanor Rathbone Charitable Trust. Courtesy of the artist
Images: Danielle Brathwaite-Shirley, When Our Worlds Meet (2022). Installation view at FACT Liverpool. Photography by Rob Battersby
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For FACT's film programme, visit What's On or look for our special Cinema in the City screenings.