Cool Hunting

AES+F is a collective of Russian artists made up of Tatiana Arzamasova, Lev Evzovich, Evgeny Svyatsky and Vladimir Fridkes. Their body of work called "Action Half Life" explores war and heroism in modern times.

Taking it's name from a computer video game, Action Half Life blends together visual imagery from science fiction, video games and fashion. The group auditioned over 500 young teenagers from modeling agencies in order to select those who would act out the roles of fighting heroes and heroines on a conceptual battlefield set against the backdrop of the Sinai Desert. Armed with gleaming futuristic weapons, the children are dressed in crisp white clothing. The group chose teenagers as their heroes, because they believe that the teenage moment is the moment when "a young shepherd can take heart and gain victory over a hulking giant and when an abandoned child can find the inner unction to extract the magic sword out of a rock to become king."

AES+F is showing work in this year’s Venice Biennale from June until late November. A book of this work is available in a first edition of 1,000 copies through Nazraeli Press.