Neotropolis

At Neotropolis - a large-scale immersive cyberpunk-themed festival blending interactive storytelling, environmental design, and mission roleplay - I serve as Art Director and Creative Lead for a multi-room interactive installation (the largest of its kind on-site), and have been recognized by the Themed Entertainment Association’s prestigious Thea Awards for our work (2026 Recognition Of Merit for Collaborative World Building Experience) - alongside other incredible creators like Universal Orlando’s Epic Universe, Disney’s Haunted Mansion Parlor, Efteling’s Dance Macabre, and more.

For four years, I’ve led a team of over 40 collaborators, designers, artists, fabricators, and interactive performers (“The Thirteens”) to offer a meticulously-shaped immersive environment and questline that invite an audience of several hundreds to become active participants in thousands of substantial missions - from the clandestine (think gritty cyberpunk noir) to the existential (What is a soul? At what cost do we pursue life?)

Combining augmented reality, detailed sets, durable props, and intricate lighting and sound design - each year our team takes bold new risks, expanding our vision, footprint, and throughput.

My role sits at the intersection of creative direction, production design, experiential storytelling, and team leadership. I develop the overall visual language and user experience for the space while coordinating a wide range of contributors across fabrication, programming, prop design, lighting, graphics, costuming, mission design, and interactive performance.

The installation itself functions as a fully interactive narrative environment: part shady pawn shop, part memory bank and morgue, part immersive theater set. Guests move through the space as participants rather than spectators, engaging with performers, physical artifacts, branching missions, and reactive environmental storytelling.

As an interactive audience-member (or “player”), you might be lured in by the cheerful crisp, pastel-laden retro-corporate lounge of the Soul Bank - and convinced by our eager clerks to back up your soul to “state-of-the-art magnetic tape reel” - ready to reflash into a new body in the event of your “death.” Or you might try to clandestinely trade smuggled weapons for discount cybernetics at Pick ‘n Pull Pawn. Try to move up the corporate ranks at the Soul Bank - or learn what connects the pawn shop to the mysterious Morgue - and you’ll find yourself steering a plot amidst underworld kingpins, a never-ending need for bodies, cryptography, missing persons, a growing singularity,…and choosing what to do when your time runs out…and realizing you’ve been given one more shot at life.

The design challenge is always to create an environment that feels densely layered, lived-in, and cinematic while still functioning operationally under heavy audience throughput for an entire week-long event.

A major part of my work involves synthesizing contributions from multiple creative minds into a cohesive visual and experiential whole. I oversee outsourced and collaborative design work, give aesthetic direction to fabricators and builders, curate found objects and scenic materials, empower and encourage risk-taking in other creators, and maintain consistency across every layer of the environment - from architectural layout and lighting tone to mission props, signage, textures, and interactive touchpoints.

The project relies heavily on practical fabrication and adaptive design thinking. We build many scenic elements from carefully curated found materials, modified consumer objects, custom props, salvaged electronics, and fabricated set pieces. I lead the overall build process while also remaining deeply involved in hands-on execution: space planning, scenic installation, prop integration, environmental dressing, workflow troubleshooting, and iterative redesign during live operation.

Because the environment is interactive, the work also requires balancing aesthetics with usability. Every design choice has to support performer workflow, audience navigation, narrative clarity, and repeatable user interaction. I work closely with performers and mission designers to ensure that the physical environment reinforces story structure and encourages intuitive engagement - without breaking immersion.

What excites me most about this kind of work is building worlds that are intentionally authored but alive - spaces where meticulous visual curation, collaborative design leadership, and tactile physical detail combine to create emotionally memorable experiences for an audience moving through them in real time. I measure our success in the number of people who keep coming back - both as players and as my co-collaborators - and in the deeply emotional impact the experience leaves behind.

A high point has been the Thirteens receiving the attention of the prestigious TEA Thea Award - one of the highest honors in the themed experience industry. As a named and credited part of the Neotropolis team, we have received the Thea Recognition of Merit - spotlighting project excellence for innovative thinking and delivery on the fringes of the industry.

Presented on Social Media as…

Caption: Friday the 13th is upon us again! @darwin.grey and I are together hosting and making ghoulish preparations for this coming unlucky affair. This year, we even have black cats, ladders, and shattered mirrors… 🐈‍⬛ 🪜 🪞 “Come gather, collect the scattered pieces and assemble your vision of the future…” View original post

Caption: Gadget Bartending at the Cyberpunk Room 🍋 . . . #themedenvironmentdesign #fridaythe13th2023_January #nostalgiapurgatory #fridaythe13th View original post

Caption: Getting ready for #neotropolis We will be bringing this set, a performance, and bartending to the event as a faction called “Thirteens”! #cyberpunk #nostalgiapurgatory #nospectators . . . . #cyberpunkart #themedenvironmentdesign #immersiveexperience #immersiveenvironment #cyberpunkaesthetic View original post

Caption: I lived in my cyberpunk art installation for four months. (⁠⁠˘⁠︶⁠˘⁠⁠)⁠.⁠｡⁠*⁠♡✿⁠ wild fun. . 📸 by @darwin.grey . . . #themedenvironmentdesign #themedenvironment #themedentertainmentdesign #interactiveart #installationart #crttv #retrotelevision #retrofuture #cyberpunk #cyberpunkart #cyberpunkaesthetic #cyberpunkroom #Neotropolis #vhs #immersiveenvironment #immersiveexperience #immersive #immersiveart #themedentertainment View original post

Caption: Thirteens crewmates, Peih-Gee and Xerough, bringing the LOOK at the Omen Bar for @neotropolisevent An exceptional crew, our first year of many to come. 🤞 thanks Neo, we had a blast! Awesome 📸 by crewmate @literallyarabbit ❤️ . . . #Thirteens #Neotropolis #themedenvironmentdesign #themedenvironment #themedentertainmentdesign #interactiveart #installationart #crttv #retrotelevision #retrofuture #cyberpunk #cyberpunkart #cyberpunkaesthetic #cyberpunkroom #Neotropolis #vhs #immersiveenvironment #immersiveexperience #immersive #immersiveart #themedentertainment View original post

Caption: 🆅🅷🆂 📼 🅾🅼🅴🅽 Ｎｅｏｔｒｏｐｏｌｉｓ Thank you for this 📸 Willow @vae.vivere !! . . . . . #Thirteens #Neotropolis #themedenvironmentdesign #themedenvironment #themedentertainmentdesign #interactiveart #installationart #crttv #retrotelevision #retrofuture #cyberpunk #cyberpunkart #cyberpunkaesthetic #cyberpunkroom #Neotropolis #vhs #immersiveenvironment #immersiveexperience #immersive #immersiveart #themedentertainment View original post

View Instagram post Caption: Instagram post by @nostalgiapurgatory. View original post

View Instagram post Caption: Instagram post by @nostalgiapurgatory. View original post

Caption: FAQ on my performance piece, “5th Body”. This work of art was done in a cyberpunk inspired room I designed to take place on my 28th birthday at @neotropolisevent . Every 7 years, you are in a completely new body. In recognition of that and to embrace the impermanence of life, beauty, time, and experience I have shaved my head. I did this in honor of entering my “4th Body” at age 21, seven years ago, and I recently have reprised the performance in honor of my “5th”. In my Fifth Body I plan to get some real serious upgrades: I’m going to get chipped with a @dangerousthings implant, and get started on a particular tattoo project. Here’s to upgrading! . . . . #performanceart #immersiveenvironment #immersiveexperience #neotropolis #Thirteens #rebirth #cyberpunk #cyberpunkart #cybergoth #cybernetic #chipimplant #dangerousthings #risdalumni #risdsculpture #themedenvironmentdesign #cyberpunkroom #immersiveart #experientialdesign #burningmanart #festivalart #impermanence #transformative #bodyart View original post

Caption: One of the coolest dressed squads at @neotropolisevent hanging out in @the_thirt33ns cyberpunk VHS lounge. 💙📼 ✨📺💜 #neotropolisevent #neotropolis #neo2024 #installationart #interactiveart #interactivestory #themedentertainment #themedevents #themedenvironment #cyberpunk #cyberpunkart #retrofuture #futurist #cyberpunkfashion View original post

Caption: I have the most amazing crew at @neotropolisevent. My heart on my a platter to each and every one of the 13s 🖤 … Leeds ran the camp this year and designed and fabricated our new beautiful signage for @the_thirt33ns , Xerough wrote and fabricated the SoulScan V2 experience as well as scenic painting on props, Peih-Gee wrote narrative story for the festival-wide experience, Brett wrote an incredibly clever murder mystery for visitors to our lounge, Doc handled the television content completely this year, Tania and Lauren added lore and plants and decorative elements to our space. Jon added LED magic and Scott added escape room style puzzles to our be quest offerings. Everyone added their parts to our space and it turned out absolutely amazing. I just got up on ladders and did “artistic cable management” – now look at this stunning co-creation we made for you at Neotropolis! We’re an unstoppable creative team. I’m stunned, delighted, and dead. I couldn’t have ever imagined a more capable crew to call my friends and fellow artists of THE THIRTEENS! I love you all. I can’t wait for us to build v3 next year, at Neotropolis 2025. Memento Mori (we are a death cult, but it’s also a social club) Join us next year! 💀 ⚰️ #neotropolisevent #neotropolis #neo2024 #installationart #interactiveart #interactivestory #themedentertainment #themedevents #themedenvironment #cyberpunk #cyberpunkart #retrofuture #futurist #cyberpunkfashion #buildcrew #festivalart View original post

Caption: It’s alive!! 📼 ⚡ 📺 Year two of our cyberpunk VHS lounge at @neotropolisevent ! We were called the “enticing bedroom to murder alley” by organizers. It really does fit that way! Thank you @the_thirt33ns team, I love you all and your story and creative contributions make my heart overflow with gratitude. I really do have the best crew assembled for this festival and we’re all linking forward to expanding what we bring next year. #neotropolisevent #neotropolis #neo2024 #installationart #interactiveart #interactivestory #themedentertainment #themedevents #themedenvironment #cyberpunk #cyberpunkart #retrofuture #futurist # View original post

Caption: Neotropolis 🌌 So excited to start sharing some pics from this event. I had an amazing time, met artists I admire like @odd_jayy (and Digit!) and worked hard on The Thirteens and Endline projects with my incredible team. This year was so intense, humbling, challenging, rewarding… And I turned 30! An incredible start to a new chapter of my life. More pictures of my art piece and my team to follow as I edit together some pictures and video. Love you all and thanks for your support! #neo2025 #neotropolisevent View original post

Caption: My incredible team at Neotropolis! Thirteens I LOVE you all! I couldn’t ask for a more incredible collection of brilliant minds– creative genius, laugh out loud comedic improvisers, makers and technologists, and fashionista engineers… And you all really had my back this year with the coffin. I am so lucky to know this crew and I think some wild cosmic forces brought us together, because it’s so stunning that this group has organically fallen together over the last three years. We are shapers of the fictional reality! We didn’t get a whole Thirteens camp group photo …AGAIN. But I selected some of my favorite pics from this year. 💙 Death is obsolete! #neo2025 #neotropolisevent #neotropolis #thethirteens View original post

Caption: This year at Neotropolis, we added a Morgue and Pawn Shop for selling gently used cybernetics and trading. In the Morgue, my project (the coffin there) was a light and sound show that was supposed to mimic the experience of being “reflashed”, or brought back to life should you have died and had a contract with us, The Thirteens, through our “Sou13ank”. This is the second part of a chaptered experience, the first being @antoniusrex ‘s project, the Soul Scan. In the coffin, your most recent conscious data is uploaded or re-uploaded to your vessel (your body, former or new), but you come away with some new memories that aren’t yours– memory bleed from your data’s time coexisting with others in the server stack in the morgue. This year was not the ideal form of this idea’s execution, but we all worked really hard to get it showing in some form, and we have a lot of plans for how to reshape it and do it all again next year with some inspired revisions and teamwork. I love Neotropolis ❤️💜💙 @neotropolisevent #neo2025 #neotropolisevent #neotropolis @the_thirt33ns View original post

Caption: Here are a collection of pictures of people occupying the coffin. ⚰️ 🌆 🥀 So thankful for my friends who helped document moments and the people who waited in line very late into Saturday night to experience this. I hope you enjoyed your re-entry into life. 🌙 #neo2025 #neotropolisevent #neotropolis #thethirteens View original post

Caption: Welcome back to life.” ⚰️ 🔁 💾 . . The coffin in the morgue, behind the servers which store your consciousness. We offer death contingency plans at the Sou13ank. . @neotropolisevent #neotropolisevent #neotropolis #neo2025 #immersiveart #thethirteens View original post

Caption: 🔵 Bluescreen of Death … @neotropolisevent Audio in collaboration with @trustanchor Coffin and Undertaker by myself, @nostalgiapurgatory View original post

Caption: Pick & Pull Pawn Shop at Neotropolis 2226 What did you trade? . . . #thethirteens #neo2026 #neotropolis #neotropolisevent #themedentertainment View original post

Caption: Post of appreciation for my incredible teammate and Creative Producer, @kevindoc13 Thank you my dear friend 💜 been there since the beginning and 13s wouldn’t be the same without you. Thank you Doc. You rock! This year we have grown and bloomed so much. Best year by far. Can’t wait for next year at #neotropolis #neo2026 #neotropolisevent #thethirteens View original post

Caption: Just a regular day at the Pick & Pull Pawn Shop with our regular, Mr. Red… #neotropolis #neotropolisevent #immersiveexperience #neo2026 #themedentertainment View original post

Caption: DEATH IS OVER! That’s a wrap on Neotropolis 2226! 🛸 Thank you to all my crew. I love you all so much. 🤍 𝙎𝙤𝙪13𝙖𝙣𝙠 𝙤𝙛𝙛𝙚𝙧𝙨 𝙛𝙧𝙚𝙚 𝘿𝙚𝙖𝙩𝙝 𝘾𝙤𝙣𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙚𝙣𝙘𝙮 𝙋𝙡𝙖𝙣𝙨! View original post

Caption: On Kepler 609-C, If you celebrate your birthday on not your ACTUAL birthday, the Sentinels take you to Birthday Jail. . Neotropolis always falls on my birthday 🎂 This year I had an unforgettable party (thank you Calico Jack and Discoteca!) 💜👾🛸 View original post

Caption: thank you Darling. -the Mortician 🖤⚰️ @theapocalypsepost View original post