Insert Coin, 2023
Cord carpet, spray paint
1 x 436 x 385 cm
Insert Coin (2023) is part of a body of work exploring predatory monetization practices within video games, specifically loot boxes, and the ongoing insertion of gambling mechanics into virtual experiences. The work was originally produced for Insert Coin, a solo exhibition by Bob Bicknell-Knight at CABLE DEPOT, London, UK, 1st February – 19th April 2023.
The work is a red carpet painted which functioned as the floor of the exhibition space, that included an orange repeating pattern, produced from and inspired by a variety of different loot boxes from a series of popular video games. The elaborate patten, accompanied by the somewhat grotesque colour scheme, references intricate casino carpeting, which is said to be overly complex and confusing in order to push visitors to keep their eyes on the slot machines and gambling tables whilst simultaneously creating a somewhat exciting, otherworldly, adrenaline-pumping atmosphere.
To accompany the carpet, the walls of Cable Depot were painted bright orange, with the colour commonly associated with ideas of optimism and energy, referencing the initial appeal of loot boxes and gambling experiences, and continued the transformation of the gallery into a gamified, painfully stimulating, space.
Insert Coin has been included in the following exhibitions:
– Insert Coin. At CABLE DEPOT, London, UK, 1st February – 19th April 2023.
BOB BICKNELL-KNIGHT 