Digital games have transcended national borders, cultures, and social systems to become a shared experience for people around the world. In recent years, there has been a surge in exhibitions that explore the boundaries between digital games and other art forms, such as contemporary art and media art, offering unique perspectives on this emerging field.
“The New Era of Art × Game: Exploring the Roots of ‘Play’ and ‘Art’” brings together key figures at the forefront of this interdisciplinary artistic movement for seven sessions. The event provided a day of knowledge sharing and mutual learning among leading practitioners in the field.
This symposium is ars●bit’s first event. It was held as a place to nurture the seeds of new value creation, calling on future artists and creators to participate in this project. Art and digital games are at the core of cultural crossing. Therefore, the symposium will examine the history of art and games.
[Event Overview]
Date: Sunday, March 16, 2025 10:00-18:00
Venue: 404 Not Found
Admission fee: Free
Organizer: Shibuya Asobiba Production Committee / 404 Not Found
Supported: Fund for Strengthening Foundations for Cultural and Artistic Activities (Creator Development and High Added Value Support Project for Cultural Facilities) | Japan Arts Council
[Event Program]
◯ Overall moderator: Nakagawa Daichi (critic/editor)
10:00 AM Opening remarks, congratulatory speeches, etc.
10:10 AM Opening session: Purpose of “ars●bit” project ——Kick-off declaration
Masahiko Murakami (CEO of Skeleton Crew Studio / CEO of Shibuya Asobiba Production Committee)
Takeshi Ishikawa (Producer of 404 Not Found / Director of Shibuya Asobiba Production Committee)
Eri Oda (General Manager of 404 Not Found
” discussed the overall concept of the project and an outline of planned activities. The speakers were the main members of ars●bit: Skeleton Crew Studio CEO Masahiko Murakami, 404 Not Found producer Takeshi Ishikawa, general manager Emiri Oda, and art bit curator Yasuyuki Toyokawa.
11:00 Session 1: Game Art / The History of Art Games:From “In a Gamescape” to “Machine Love”
Akihiko Taniguchi (Media Artist / Associate Professor, Department of Information Design, Tama Art University, Media Arts Course)
Minoru Hatanaka (Chief Curator, NTT InterCommunication Center [ICC])
Hajime Kasai (Multi-genre journalist)
Session 1, “Game Art / The History of Art Games,” media artist Akihiko Taniguchi, who is also an advisor for the “Machine Love” exhibition at the Mori Art Museum, and Minoru Hatanaka, chief curator at the NTT InterCommunication Center, explained the history of game art and media art. In response, genre-multiple journalist Iwai Kasai gave an overview of the game genre known as “art house games.”
13:00 Session 2: The game nature of contemporary art and the artistry of indie games:The history of “art bit” and its intervention in contemporary art history
Yasuyuki Toyokawa
Takuya Nakao (art critic / art studies)
Koichi Watari (CEO of the Watari Museum of Contemporary Art)
Session 2, “The Game-like Nature of Contemporary Art and the Artistic Nature of Indie Games,” a discussion was held on the game-like nature of contemporary art, beginning with Marcel Duchamp. The speakers were Watari Koichi, CEO of the Watari Museum of Contemporary Art, and art critic Nakao Takuya.
14:10 Session 3: Exploring the diversity of art and games around the world:The intersection of “play” and “art” in Asia and Europe
Yasuyuki Toyokawa
Yuka Tokuyama (curator/researcher [contemporary art])
Jeremy Courtial (artist)
Session 3, “Exploring the diversity of art and games around the world: The intersection of “play” and “art” in Asia and Europe,” Yasuyuki Toyokawa introduced the diversity of art and game exhibition initiatives in Asia and Europe. Next, contemporary art curator/researcher Yuka Tokuyama and artist Jeremy Courtial explained how the essence of “play” in games and the essence of drawing intersect. Jeremy’s live drawing was featured in the explanation.
*Tokuyama and Courtial’s research is being conducted under a 2024 research grant from the Ogasawara Toshiaki Memorial Foundation.
15:20 Session 4: The Dawn of Digital Vernacular Art: Pixels/NFTs/Generative Art as “Eastern Art”
Takakura Kazuki (Artist)
NIINOMI (NEORT Director/Media Artist)
Yoshizumi Eiko (Contemporary Artist/Costume Designer)
Session 4, “The Dawn of Digital Vernacular Art: Pixels/NFTs/Generative as ‘Eastern Art’,” speakers discussed how they are freely using cutting-edge technological media to connect to their own indigenous or universal practice of expression. Speakers included artist Takakura Kazuki, contemporary artist Yoshizumi Eiko, and media artist NIINOMI.
16:30 Session 5: Undiscovered possibilities of games x art x technology:Prospects for games x art activities in the “ars●bit” project
Ryosuke Shiomi (artist)
Katsumi Suenami (game producer/director)
Hisashi Kawakami (CEO of Universal Ad Network)
Takeshi Ishikawa
Session 5, “Undiscovered possibilities of games x art x technology: Prospects for games x art activities in the ‘ars●bit’ project,” a project concept was presented that aims to develop a new market by linking antique arts and traditional crafts with indie games. The speakers were artist Ryosuke Shiomi, game producer Katsumi Suenami, and Kawakami Hisashi, CEO of Universal Ad Network. Ishikawa Takeshi acted as moderator and interviewed them.
17:40 Closing Session
In the closed session, the speakers shared their thoughts on the symposium as a whole and discussed future prospects. Kazuhiko Hachiya, a media artist and professor at Tokyo University of the Arts, also joined in the discussion.