Ludo or Counter Strike?
In the exhibition GetSet! artists participate and relate in various ways to the game world.
Exposed play and games are based on both lies and cooperation.
In the society more and more seems to be determined by various gaming methods. The dream of happiness is also a strong force in gaming. GetSet! problematizes the systems and structures that shape today’s game. Visitors will also be able to interact with the games on display. Are there limits to what you can play on?
Do you like gaming and to play? Do you think gaming is demoralizing? What is a game?
We have built up a game room where we want to investigate, respond to and philosophize about what arouses your desire or aversion to gambling. Artists are invited to show the explosive width that game and play represents. At GetSet! you will find everything from clueless humor to biting political realities.
By exposing the diversity behind the games and game ideas the exhibition wants to unveil the structures that games are made of. The common denominator is a discussion of conditions, gaming systems and game-building, but also the possibility that visitors play with the game on display. One of the exhibition’s focus concerns drift from merely entertaining/amusing to decide issues of great importance. At the same time the works reproduces joy and humor that perhaps is the single most important driver in the game.
Pleasure and control are two poles which are incredibly strong motives in play. The pleasure and craving most people who have played probably recognize themselves in, complex emotions of being seen, to be a winner and the dream of happiness. But in what way is it possible to link this to politics?
The serious tone of the exhibition is linked with the gradual shift taking place in both the public and private sphere. It is becoming increasingly of a mantra to succeed in the game of life and the important choices seems to be determined by various game structures as a base, ranging from love to career, investment of retirement savings, etc.. Today you can turn fictive values in a video game into real values – money. Wherein lies the difference between gambling and gaming? Are there limits to what you can play on? How and where if so turns out the borders? What game mechanisms govern the decisions that we let the game decide? What is the profit forecast look? What is the point of defining ourselves in terms of winners / losers?
And who are we competing against?
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Producer and curator of the exhibition Get Set! as well as exhibiting.
Get Set! was an exhibition showed at Studio 44, Stockholm → more
and Virserums konsthall → more
