100 gec’s Laura Les and Dylan Brady have long expressed their love for middle school dance hits like “Stanky Legg” and “Everytime We Touch,” so the game was the perfect venue for their over-the-top, 2000s-inspired aesthetic. Their chaotic electronic music and ironic internet references meshed with the low-fi block surroundings to create a cohesive, if intense, experience.
“I don’t know what Minecraft is,” Charli XCX said between songs. But the crowd went wild when she played a mashup of Soulja Boy’s “Crank Dat” and her own “Vroom Vroom.” For artists looking to create an immersive experience, it pays to partner with a video game whose audience plays well with their own.
Museums and the fashion world have found that ideal partner is Animal Crossing, the social simulation game centered around customizing every aspect of a tropical island.
Unable to welcome visitors into their exhibitions IRL, museums have started bringing art into peoples’ homes. Speaking to the New York Times, the Royal Academy’s social media editor Adam Koszary explains, “A lot of people are going to fall into the trap of just trying to give people what they’d come to see in person on the screen.”
That’s where Animal Crossing comes in. Now, the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s entire collection is available to own and display in the game. Likewise, the Instagram account @AnimalCrossingFashionArchive documents designer looks recreated for Animal Crossing avatars. What started as a small group of friends has led to partnerships with fashion houses like Marc Jacobs and Valentino.
