Faile and Deluxx Fluxx for Herman Miller Gaming
Designed for a new world
Play has always inspired Patrick McNeil and Patrick Miller. Known as the artist duo FAILE, they draw inspiration from ‘80s arcades, video games, and pop culture to create interactive, multimedia experiences—like Deluxx Fluxx, a “nightclub art house” where sound meets vision. Soon you can immerse yourself in their world through a collection of art and 1-of-1 sculptures, designed exclusively for Herman Miller Gaming. Here, the pair shares the joy, energy, and commitment to craft that animate their creative approach.
Sound and vision
Printmaking, painting, and sculpture are the cornerstones of FAILE’s 25-year creative process. Inspired by their acclaimed Deluxx Fluxx series, FAILE has designed three exclusive artworks for gamers, collectors, and enthusiasts.
Building a character
FAILE’s unique Joystick sculptures lend tactility, warmth, and life to digital culture, infusing gaming’s mythic character-making into an entirely original roster of 100 unique solid wood figures.
01 FAILE’s Joysticks reflect the world-building wonder of modern gaming as well as craft-inspired folk art, like Alexander Girard’s iconic wooden dolls.
02 McNeil and Miller wanted to create tangible objects rooted in whimsical game-like characters, each of which could “live in the home, have its own personality, and come to life in a unique way as an object.”
03 “With the Joysticks, we envisioned creating 100 unique characters based on drawings and doodles. We wanted each one to have its own personality and charm while still being a beautifully made and crafted object.”
04 “All the Joysticks are hand-carved and hand-painted. There’s dozens and dozens of hours required in making each one.”
05 “There’s an intimacy with holding that object, with seeing the brushstrokes, the organic carved lines that feel like they rolled off a pen, you appreciate the spirit within it. It was important to have the spirit of a character but the heart of something made by hand.”
