Pinnacles Gallery showcases Wired 4 Games

Date: Monday, 2nd February 2009

Pinnacles Gallery’s latest exhibition Wired 4 Games is a highly interactive display showcasing eight independent online games from all corners of the globe.

Curated by the gallery, the exhibition is a platform for the exploration of computer games as an art form. Each game has been selected for its visual, sound, and philosophical qualities.

In the words of one of the game makers: "If you concede that games are an art form then you must also concede that some games are purely their creator’s effort to express themselves"

The game Mondrian, as the name suggests is a tribute to the abstract artist Piet Mondrian. Squares of colour move, collide and merge together to create a psychedelic explosion of colour. The game is like a puzzle where the player moves from one corner to the next trying to avoid being crushed by the colourful paintings.

Cloud, on the other hand, is a serene imaginative task orientated game created by a Chinese artist; it invites participants to collect clouds and make shapes in a virtual sky. The ethereal game is like being a pilot in a big daydream.

Jason Nelson, an Australian based artist, has contributed two games; Love Sick Zombies and Game, game, game and game again. The art works in his games are all hand drawn and as the player navigates through the landscapes there are small obstacles that morph into pop up boxes with short cinematic films in them. The game is more about the journey than level of accomplishment.

Some of the games employ physics laws and mathematical skills. Others draw on linguistic skills and artistic skills. Some have no sense of game logic, they are neither competitive nor point scoring but offer an extensive sensory experience where the players decisions influence the outcome of the work.

Kicking off the official opening on 28 February is a free forum ART U GAME. Three experts from the industry will provide practical insights into working in the industry. Dr Nicola Bidwell from JCU Cairns, Tom Ellard from COFA, and Jason Nelson from Griffith University will talk about the artwork in games, the soundscapes created, the environment of the game, and tips on working in the industry.

The exhibition starts on 7 February and runs until 15 March and is FREE to the general public.

The exhibition aims to give credibility to games as artworks in their own right, one of the contributors commented: "Wow, that’s a great idea, what a fantastic opportunity. Hopefully other galleries will follow your lead."

For further information contact the Public Programs Officer,  47738872