Gabriel Massan & LYZZA Interview: Music & Creativity
- CGI artist Gabriel Massan and musician LYZZA have joined forces to create Third World, a project Massan describes as a "consciousness-raising game" exploring Black indigenous Brazilian experience.
- LYZZA not only crafted the soundtrack but also contributed to the sound design.
- Massan and LYZZA draw from their own experiences to explore the worlds they build, inviting players to rethink their relationship with the world.
CGI artist Gabriel Massan and musician LYZZA are building new worlds and challenging perceptions in their collaborative project, “Third World.” They explore identity, decolonization, and the Black indigenous Brazilian experience in digital spaces, creating an “offline metaverse” that critiques the traditional “third world” concept. Their work, which integrates Web3 technology, aims to be a space for self-expression and communal narrative crafting. News Directory 3 is excited to bring you this insightful conversation on how these artists are using their unique skills to foster greater understanding and challenge the status quo. Discover what’s next for these boundary-pushing creators and the future of music and art.
Gabriel Massan & LYZZA Explore Identity and Decolonization in “Third World”
Updated May 10, 2024
CGI artist Gabriel Massan and musician LYZZA have joined forces to create Third World, a project Massan describes as a “consciousness-raising game” exploring Black indigenous Brazilian experience. Commissioned by Serpentine Arts Technologies, the “offline metaverse” challenges outdated notions of the “third world” through shared cultural memory and virtual ecologies.
LYZZA not only crafted the soundtrack but also contributed to the sound design. The project includes developers and critics such as Castiel Vitorino Brasileiro and Novíssimo Edgar.
Massan and LYZZA draw from their own experiences to explore the worlds they build, inviting players to rethink their relationship with the world. Their work replicates inequalities they have experienced, prompting a communal narrative crafting.
Massan said he wants to inspire others to co-create and imagine themselves in a different reality,one not based on their identities. He aims to explore ignorance toward the concept of the ”third world” and critique how people navigate the world.
LYZZA said that by removing a sense of what the world wants to impose, people can discover who they are.She hopes her music expands horizons and prompts questioning, adding that the digestibility of art is often valued over importent conversations.
massan said that everything needs to be explained and digested in today’s world.
LYZZA said she finds it acceptable to make people uncomfortable within fine art, but in music, everything has to be liked. She wants her music to evoke feelings, not just enjoyment.
Massan said he uses cute colors and drawings to create confusion,which he enjoys.
LYZZA said that not knowing what’s going on and having no context allows people to question things.She appreciates Massan’s work for allowing her to explore worlds without relating to existing concepts.
Massan said he initially wanted to create scenarios close to him, discussing violence and racism without using triggering images or forcing the topic. He now aims to create beings and objects without strong connections to humankind, telling stories without prejudice.
LYZZA said that making music is her space to not be political, exploring complex sides of herself outside of how the world views her. She wants people to understand her through complexity and connect with the feeling of being understood.
Massan said that together, their work is about self-expression in a complex and abstract way.
LYZZA said that neither of them seeks to tell people what to think about their work.
Massan said that the lack of direct paths makes the work intangible, and what defines both worlds is the technique. He added that their work cannot be easily categorized, which people often struggle to understand.
LYZZA said she feels her music is colonized when