Appropriating the role of a scientific preacher or a corporate shaman Engqvist engages himself with investigations concerning the potential of virtual realities, bio-, nano- and robot technology. Combining his background of theology with artistic ideas revolving around technological development, corporate structures and scientific breakthroughs Engqvist tries to create hybrids and symbiotic states that represents contemporary and future uses of the concept of the sacred but also the spiritual realm in itself. A pluralistic concept of reality demands a flexibility of mind, medium and body. Much like a free roaming RPG in the style of Elder Scrolls, where the character defines and develops itself through a series of choices inherent in the freedom of gameplay (leveling up being just as easy when collecting herbs as in banging in bandits heads), an artistic praxis may sidestep the line of established methods in its actual function as an artist. Interesting results are in any way not a guarantee, so the choice matters only in making one. Currently Engqvist is working as the Artistic Director of HUMlab, an interdisciplinary digital humanities laboratory placed in Umeå, in the north of Sweden, where he has been based since 2009, when he graduated from the Umeå Academy of Fine Arts. In the context of the lab Engqvist has been offered a diversity of perspectives of the digital as well as a wide range of different collaborations with technicians and academia alike.
End to development is a game application where the player is introduced to some of my poems in a dreamlike void, a place between existences, where the bottom is the top. The static tablet based poems investigate mundane themes and the mobile ones chasing you, are looking into more spiritual perspectives. Beware though as there is 1 chance out 5 every 30 seconds that Death will appear and remove you from exploring further in this realm of status quo. End to Development plays with the loop structures of game applications and puts an existential filter over the gameplay
