GAMEBOY Pocket Camera Archive

GAMEBOY Pocket Camera Archive by P1U3M

GAMEBOY Pocket Camera Archive is a work that stems from the artist's inquiry into the technological transition from analog to digital. The artist chose to use an old gaming device, the Game Boy, paired with an accessory known as the Game Boy Pocket Camera, originating from Japan. This accessory, designed as a cartridge with a small image sensor, features a rotating camera that can face the user—making it arguably the first portable camera capable of taking selfies, long before the term "selfie" even existed. Despite its low image quality, this unique feature became a pivotal reason for the artist’s choice.

However, the creative process didn’t end there. I discovered that the Game Boy wasn’t designed to process or export images using external devices that weren’t officially produced by the manufacturer. To overcome this by connected the Game Boy's circuit board and cables to an Arduino Nano, using specialized software to transform the raw digital data into image files. This intricate process mirrors the film development process—albeit in a digital context—positioning the Game Boy in a liminal space between being a digital device and employing an analog-like image extraction process.

The resulting photographs capture moments of technological transition, reflecting a pivotal era in human engagement with technology.