We Are All NPCs | Eva & Franco Mattes

For decades, pioneering internet artists Eva & Franco Mattes have explored how media shapes human connection - always with their signature (sometimes dark) humour. In this new talk, they reflect on their tumultuous journey through the internet age, revisiting iconic works like ‘Life Sharing’ (2000–03), ‘Freedom’ (2010), and ‘Panorama Cat’ (2022).

Early in their career, Eva & Franco Mattes' art expressed a belief in the internet’s liberating potential, but as the digital landscape has evolved, so too has their work. 'Life Sharing' (2000–03) was almost utopian in vision. A decade later, works like Freedom (2010) convey an era of Eva & Franco Mattes' light-hearted attempts at subversion. More recent works are less optimistic, such as 'But I Love Human' (2024), which highlights the pressures and demands of algorithms in the digital age.

'But I Love Human' (2024) premiered at Vienna Digital Cultures 2025. The 12-minute video montage draws from found footage of NPC streamers - performers who mimic video game non-player characters in live broadcasts. Repeating robotic gestures and scripted lines, these streamers perform for algorithm-driven audiences, often for money. The result is a hypnotic, unsettling loop, offering a chilling reflection on how digital culture is increasingly shaped by the logic of machines.

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