Take your seat on Dodo Airlines and come visit the islands of some of our creative friends in this special Nook-friendly City Guide.

We explore the islands of New York based art curator/creative director Evan Garza, Hong Kong based musician/photographer Kara Chung and Los Angeles based photographer/publisher Vanessa Granda in this special edition GOAT city guide edition that features the Nintendo Switch social simulation game Animal Crossing: New Horizon.

Kara Chung — Musician/Photographer

What’s the name of your island and how did you decide on its layout?
Kakariko, based on a recurring town from the Legend of Zelda series.&nbsp;
 
What are the main unique characteristics of your island?
A lot of upper-level walkways that run through the entire island.&nbsp;
 
Are you planning to continue developing your island? If so, what’s in the works?
I’m currently putting outdoor lights everywhere! &nbsp;
 
Where is your favorite place to visit in Animal Crossing?
My villager Kyle's house has a whole YouTube musician’s setup-complete with instruments.&nbsp;
 
What is the furthest length you’ve gone to unlock a new feature in the game?
Creating a <a href="https://www.zelda.com/breath-of-the-wild/">Legend of Zelda: Breath of The Wild</a>-inspired maze surrounded by waterfalls.&nbsp;
 
What’s your take on the current virality of Animal Crossing?
It answers a need for connection right now, and I'm glad it exists!

The Tour: Kakariko Island

Evan Garza — Curator

What’s the name of your island and how did you decide on its layout?
My island is named Gay Gardens—the name we gave our [real] last house, because it was covered in ivy and surrounded by trees. I lined my island neighborhood with bamboo, tall grass and wooden paths, like on [Long Island’s] Fire Island. I also built my house on a little lip of land stretching out into the sea (on the opposite side of the island from villagers) so I can hear the waves crash anytime I want. Sometimes I'll just let the game run in the background while I'm doing stuff at [my actual] house so I can hear the sound of the tide. &nbsp;
 
What are the main unique characteristics of your island?
The main attraction on my island is the Gay Gardens Museum. Outside, I've installed an in-game recreation of Chris Burden's <a href="https://collections.lacma.org/node/214966"><ins>Urban Light</ins><ins> installation</ins></a> at <a href="https://www.lacma.org/"><ins>LACMA</ins></a>. Until recently, the game didn't include works of art, so I built a public art installation that mirrors the 2008 LACMA one. My last job was director of public art for a university, so I ordered 36 street lamps within the game over the course of eight days and installed adjacent palm trees, just like at LACMA. My Animal Crossing museum is my boyfriend, and I take good care of him.&nbsp;
 
Are you planning to continue developing your island? If so, what’s in the works?
I might design some streets and build out a "rive gauche" left of the riverbank if the game introduces new shops or architectural structures. Animal Crossing gameplay is sort of like maintaining a bonsai: you can grow it and edit it into any composition you like, and the next day a little more will appear that you can trim back.

Where is your favorite place to visit in Animal Crossing?
My favorite place to visit in Animal Crossing is Kara Chung's island, Kakariko! It's a playground. And so chic.&nbsp;
 
What is the furthest length you’ve gone to unlock a new feature in the game?
I flew to friends' islands in Perth and Berlin to see them install hacked artworks into the game, including a Wade Guyton internet painting that featured a gay sailor sexual gathering that my friend Marc [Goehring] (who recently debuted the world's first <a href="https://www.vogue.com/article/animal-crossing-fashion-show-reference-berlin">Animal Crossing fashion show</a> in collaboration with Kara Chung for Berlin's <a href="http://www.referenceberlin.com/">Reference Festival</a>) installed on a giant field. I was so gagged by what was possible in the game that I wrote about the experience for <a href="https://www.artforum.com/diary/evan-garza-on-animal-crossing-s-art-offerings-82731"><ins>Artforum</ins></a>. I also once flew to a total stranger's island so I could sell my turnips for $1.75 million bells [Animal Crossing’s in-game currency]. Now I'm a bellionaire.
 
What’s your take on the current virality of Animal Crossing?
I think the game is such a historic success because… capitalism. It was released as the entire globe went on lockdown. It's a really successful creative outlet. And frankly, because the game is synced with real time and has daily updates, it gives my days and weeks some fucking structure. At a time when the world is such a vile and repulsive place, Animal Crossing offers users an opportunity to create a world of their own making. That's an appealing idea to anyone right now.&nbsp;

The Tour: Gay Gardens Island

Vanessa Granda — Photographer/Publisher

What's the name of your island and how did you decide on its layout?
I'm quite embarrassed by my island name, but I had just finished binging the UK show <a href="https://www.cbs.com/shows/love-island/"><ins>Love Island</ins></a>, so I named it Love Island. I didn't realize you can't change it. In retrospect, I would've named it something cooler. My layout is inspired by some of my favorite cities: New York where I live, so I made a Central Park in the middle, a Tokyo-like neighborhood in the East and Parisian gardens all around.&nbsp;
 
What are the main unique characteristics of your island?
I included places I'd like to go again soon like an antique market, a Cuban coffee shop for some afternoon cafecito, a pottery studio and a photography darkroom. 

Are you planning to continue developing your island?
Absolutely, I love tweaking a space until it's perfect. Since there are endless items you can get from the game, there's always room for improvement. I'm working on a larger botanical garden at the moment.

Where is your favorite place to visit in Animal Crossing?
I love to visit my friend Brino's island, Nebula. She was the first real life friend I knew who was playing Animal Crossing. She gave me fruits and flowers I didn't have, and even gave me gifts when I first visited!&nbsp;
 
What is the furthest you've gone to unlock a new feature in the game?
I'm pretty active on <a href="https://nookazon.com/"><ins>Nookazon</ins></a> which is basically an Amazon for Animal Crossing items. I trade lots of items that don't fit my island for ones that do! It's actually quite entertaining. It's like shopping.&nbsp;
 
What is your take on the current virality of Animal Crossing?
It's funny because I had no intention of getting the game, but it was everywhere I looked. Luckily my boyfriend had a <a href="https://www.nintendo.com/switch/system/">[Nintendo] Switch</a>, so I bought the game to kill the curiosity in a sense. I didn't expect to get sucked in, but it's really been a positive thing to spend my time on. (Maybe too much time). So I get it now. It's a happy game, and anything that makes you feel good and creative should be viral.

The Tour: Love Island

Interview: Alexander Lendrum 
Images courtesy of: Kara Chung, Evan Garza, Vanessa Granda

Islands Apart: Exploring Animal Crossing

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