TECHNOLOGICAL advances of the past two decades and how videogames are confronting issues such as politics, race and gender are two of the themes to be explored at a new exhibition.
Launched this weekend at the V&A Dundee, Videogames: Design/Play/Disrupt will celebrate and discuss the cultural importance of the gaming.
It reveals how they are designed, their impact on social issues, and how the future of videogames is being shaped by huge online communities, as well as by tiny independent studios and collectives around the world.
The exhibition focuses on major shifts since the mid-2000s, when changing technology – from mobile phones to increasing internet speeds – transformed how games are designed, discussed and played. Visitors can see a range of fascinating objects that unpick the design process, from rarely-seen sketches and notebooks to storyboards, musical scores and computer code.
“This exhibition opens up the design and culture of contemporary game design and culture in radical new ways,” said Marie Foulston, lead exhibition curator at V& A. “It celebrates groundbreaking work from a period of time that has been defined by a democratisation of both the means to make and to play games.
“Whether you come as a local game designer, a seasoned player, or are simply creatively curious, I hope you leave feeling inspired and with a greater understanding of and appreciation for one of the most fascinating mediums of our time.”
The power of play as a means of expression will be explored further in the museum’s wide-ranging programme, including a conference, talks, workshops, a games jam and the museum’s next Tay Late evening event.
The exhibition runs from April 20 to September 8. Tickets: www.vam.ac.uk/dundee.
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