As an interactive media, video games have transformed the binary code of 0 and 1 into a fascinating world through the engine, text, sound, performance, graphics, touch, and other technologies and human creativity.
In “Gtopia: Game Site,” we choose 19 indie games that lead experiments and breakthroughs in these creative aspects to dissect the integral games in time and space: In time, we step back to the beginning when game artists and designers had nothing but whimsical ideas in their brains, and see how they went through the steps of prototyping, iteration, testing, user generation, and so on, and gather sand into a tower; In space, we split up the architectures, characters, arts, animations, texts, narratives, levels, and subsystems of the game, and use the microscope of systems theory to see how each part of the final giant apparatus looks like and the tensions and buffers within it.
Producer: Yang Jing; Consultant: Li Zhenhua; Curators: Liu Xiaoyi, Li Ruixuan, Li Zhen
My responsibilities included researching and selecting indie games from an artistic perspective, demonstrating the collection with other curators for further discussion and selection, digging and investigating the behind-the-scenes documents with the game developers, and curating the contents so that they can be presented as R&D archives along with the games.
We together brainstormed the exhibit design of each game. I was responsible for sketching some ideas and organizing the lists of final displays. Then, the other curators rendered the 3D graphics and arranged operational work such as fabricating, printing, purchasing, and installing.
In the final phase, I was responsible for editing and proofreading all wall text and curatorial essays for publicity. I also communicated with game developers, artists, writers, and other scholars to co-curate the special programs for this show.
Great content! Keep up the good work!