GRAND THEFT SAMO

DESCRIPTION: modded version of Grand Theft Auto IV (Rockstar Games, 2008), in-game performance, videos (machinima), screengrabs, and digital prints.

TEXT: Grand Theft Samo is part of COLL.EO's ongoing Grand Theft Auto's interventions, a series of performances and artworks set within the virtual spaces of Liberty City, created in collaboration with Iranian modder Amir Ghoreyshi. The series includes Grand Theft Vito and Following Bit, both developed in 2013.

In Grand Theft Samo, the player wanders through the streets of an erszat New York under the guise of Jean-Michel Basquiat. COLL.EO has faithfully reproduced several SAMO's graffiti...

COLL.EO, Grand Theft Auto, 2014

COLL.EO, Grand Theft Auto, 2014

...and embedded them on the walls of Liberty City, replacing the existing ones.

Graffiti is not a crime

Graffiti is not a crime

SAMO's virtual graffiti are located in the downtown area of Liberty City

SAMO's virtual graffiti are located in the downtown area of Liberty City

San Francisco, June 9, 2014

DOCUMENTATION

Photos: photographic documentation of SAMO's intervention is available here.

Videos: a series of video excerpts of SAMO's performance is available here.