Born in South Africa and raised in London, Arlo's story is one of fascination and creativity under constraint. His early life was marked by economic hardship and the aspirational longing for the inaccessible world of computers and video games.
Arlo's journey began with a broken and discarded Commodore 64 — one his grandfather fixed up for him. It was trash turned into a treasure chest of infinite digital possibilities. Unable to afford games, at only nine years old he learned to program his own, crafting adventures from lines of code, each one a step towards mastering the language of machines. This formative experience, compounded by the loss of his father, turned fictional characters from his favourite shows and games into digital companions and unwitting mentors.
The narrative of his work is deeply personal. Each artwork, a depiction of retro technology, from floppy disks to old game cartridges, tells a story. These aren't just static images — they are chapters of Arlo's life, dialogues with his past, and commentary on the broader digital culture. Through subtle alterations and humorous titles, Arlo transforms each piece into a commentary on the absurdities and realities of the tech era — from the fear of Y2K to the myths surrounding Tetris' origins.
You will encounter artworks that might seem merely nostalgic at first glance but are laden with cultural critiques and personal anecdotes. Pieces like 'Lion King: Serious Daddy Issues Edition' and 'Mario: Bros Before Hoes' aren't just art — they’re Arlo's reflections on the complexities of growing up, and in a digital age that shapes how we think, feel, and interact.
