Exhibition: The Power of Play—Exploring the Ludic Landscape
- Jul 4
- 1 min read
Updated: 6 days ago
04 July-25 October 2026
This exhibition focuses on the core aspects of what games are, and what we think they do, and it will also puncture some myths and false beliefs about play. Are violent games making children violent? Will games lead to addiction? Are games in the classroom a better way to learn? What, if anything, can we learn from games? Can they make the world a better place?
The selection presented in this exhibition is meant to show the variety of play, from games where you do almost nothing (Calm Cast) to games where the point is to get lost (the VR labyrinths); from games we no longer know how to play (the ancient Egyptian favourite Senet), to games with a satirical message (Future? - No thanks!) and games where you can explore and reconfigure your own world (Build The Earth: Hong Kong in Minecraft). Is there a common point to all these games? No. But that is precisely the point. Some games are designed for the mind, some for the body. Some are potentially deadly, and some are mindless fun. Some are for solitude, and others for socialisation. Some are for learning, and some are for wasting time in a pleasant way. Some end in minutes, and some may never end.
(From "Curatorial Statement" by Espen AARSETH)