Video Games Return to the V&A: A Cultural Exploration

The Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A) in London has reintroduced video games into its cultural programming, emphasizing their significance as a serious part of contemporary culture. Co-curator Susie Buchan highlighted the unique experience of engaging with games in a gallery setting, noting how it transforms players into performers. This communal aspect was particularly evident during the event "Sex With Friends," where participants enthusiastically shouted out sex positions, creating a surprisingly wholesome atmosphere.

The Guardian

The V&A has a history of exploring games culture, having previously hosted themed events and exhibitions, such as the 2018 "Design/Play/Disrupt." However, there was a recent hiatus in such programming, prompting senior curator Kristian Volsing to advocate for the return of games to the museum. He emphasized the importance of presenting video games alongside historic artifacts, encouraging visitors to engage with these digital creations in a new light.

The Guardian

The event featured a variety of participatory projects that fostered shared creativity. Comedian Jamie Brew's "Robot Karaoke" invited audience members to sing along to reimagined lyrics of classic pop songs, while artist Fredde Lanka guided participants in creating their own video game fanzines. Another highlight was Jana Romanova's lite-LARP experience, "The Line is the Game," where participants role-played while waiting in character, further blurring the lines between gaming and performance art.

The Guardian

Holly Gramazio, a game designer and curator, noted the interplay between gallery experiences and gaming as a vital aspect of presenting video games in cultural institutions. She remarked on the expressive potential of exhibitions that draw from various modes of expression, allowing audiences to engage with the histories and contexts of games.

The Guardian

The V&A's initiative coincides with the upcoming London Games Festival, which aims to bring similar interactive experiences to various venues across the city. Buchan also pointed to international events like the Overkill festival in the Netherlands and A MAZE in Berlin, as well as the New York-based art games collective Babycastles, highlighting a global movement towards integrating games into cultural spaces.

The Guardian

Veteran event curator V Buckenham, involved in the evening's "Car Boot Casino" installation, described these events as a virtuous circle. They allow players to reimagine games while challenging non-gamers' perceptions of the medium. This dynamic fosters excitement and innovation, as evidenced by the juxtaposition of unconventional games alongside historical artifacts.

The Guardian

The V&A's curatorial team has expressed a commitment to showcasing video games as a legitimate art form. They aim to create an environment where both gamers and non-gamers can explore and appreciate the cultural significance of video games.

The Guardian

• “It’s incredibly important to present and critique video games as a major, serious part of our culture, and putting them in a museum context does exactly that, with an emphasis on a communal experience.” — Susie Buchan, Co-curator

The Guardian

• “There’s something special about the way that both video games and exhibitions draw on so many other different modes of expression,” — Holly Gramazio, Game Designer

The Guardian

• “Veteran event curator and game designer V Buckenham, who was involved in the evening’s Car Boot Casino installation – a collection of new card-based bluffing games – sees these spaces as a virtuous circle: players get to envisage games in a different way, while non-gamers may have their expectations about the medium challenged, and developers get a lot out of it too: “There’s an inherent excitement in running your stupid game about sausages next to a hand-carved mantelpiece that’s hundreds of years old.” — V Buckenham, Event Curator

The Guardian

The V&A's renewed focus on video games reflects a broader cultural shift towards recognizing the artistic and social value of gaming, inviting diverse audiences to engage with this evolving medium.

The Guardian