Cory Sheldon Introduces, Merry Bear

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Merry Bear brings the world of Cory Sheldon's long-developing independent video game into the physical gallery, transforming a virtual narrative into an immersive installation. Through sculptural props, environmental elements, posters, and other game-inspired objects, Sheldon invites visitors to step inside a space that blurs the boundaries between digital and physical experience.

At its core, the exhibition explores how stories shift as they move between mediums. By translating digitally rendered environments into tangible forms, Merry Bear examines ideas of scale, perception, and materiality while encouraging viewers to reconsider how imagined worlds can shape our understanding of the real one.

Infused with surreal imagery and retro-inspired aesthetics, the installation expands upon the game's reflection on modern Western society, drawing inspiration from the optimism, nostalgia, and contradictions of mid-twentieth-century American culture. Familiar objects and environments become subtly distorted, creating moments that feel both recognizable and uncanny.

More than an adaptation of a video game, Merry Bear is an invitation to experience storytelling as a spatial encounter. Through immersive world-building and thoughtful design, Sheldon creates an environment where play, memory, and imagination converge, encouraging visitors to move through the exhibition as active participants in an unfolding narrative.

​About the Artist Cory Sheldon:

Cory Sheldon is a multidisciplinary artist and designer who explores creative methods to build connections. He began his career in film, directing music videos for Warner Bros. and the feature film "Color" in 2011. Sheldon has worked in animation for decades and supported the many Akron Film+Pixel animation festivals, also designing many posters for the organization. This relationship led to him co-founding The Nightlight Cinema, where he also acts as designer and trustee. Storytelling has played a significant role in Sheldon's artistic journey through many forms. He is the author of the retro-futurist book series, "Valley of Progress." Starting in 2020, he created a variety of films/videos with Groundworks Dance Theater, co-directing "Between Presence" with Nichole Hennington and shooting David Shimotakahara's installation film "One Thing Leads to Another." Sheldon has a long-standing interest in visual arts technology. He has contributed title sequences and visual effects to many television programs. He is currently producing his first video game, "Merry Bear."