Jennifer Merlyn Scherler, Death Digest

About the video:
In Death Digest, a transmasculine Hades, performed by Jennifer Merlyn Scherler, leads us through the underworld. The reinterpretation of the Greek god was already present in previous works and is now further developed as a character. The rooms of his underworld are not dedicated to the death of people, but to that of game and other fictional characters and the (digital) mourning strategies of their fans. The narrative style of the work is based on the YouTube format ‘Open Door’ from the architecture magazine Architectural Digest. In it, celebrities take a home tour through their homes and not only talk about design concepts, but also include many personal anecdotes. The work uses this format to reflect on the strategies of remembrance and mourning with a certain lightness and locates them in their own rooms.
 

9'21", color, sound, 2024.
 

About the artist :
Jennifer Merlyn Scherler (they/them, *1996) self-identifies as a fan and draws inspiration from different fan (fiction) communities with an interest in user-generated (filmic) languages created to share knowledge and affection for a particular thing. They are particularly interested in strategies of grieving, remembering and the creation of intimacy. Their visual language is dense with references to popular digital culture and media theoretical texts. It is infused by video material, images and commentary found online. The characters found in Scherler’s work are based on personal experiences and reference digital cultures, they are performed by the artist themselves and could be situated in drag.  Next to their personal art practice they are engaged in the collective project mcww (memeclassworldwide), they teach at the University of Arts in Bern and at the School of Arts in Biel. They have won numerous awards such as the Pax Art Award Emerging Media Artist and Kiefer Hablitzel Prize. 

Social:
www.jenniferscherler.com
@jennifermerlyn
Contact: 
info@jenniferscherler.com