A MAZE.

A MAZE.
Title	A MAZE.
Genre	Festival / Exhibition
First event	2008
Founders	Thorsten Karrer
Location	Berlin, Johannesburg, São Paulo

A MAZE. is an international festival and exhibition platform focused on independent video games, experimental interactive art, and digital culture. Founded in 2008, it brings together developers, artists, curators, and institutions to showcase innovative work, host talks, and facilitate collaboration across cities such as Berlin, Johannesburg, and São Paulo. The event emphasizes artistic expression, social critique, and alternative forms of play, attracting contributors and audiences from institutions like the Zentrum für Kunst und Medien, the Serpentine Galleries, and the Museum of Modern Art.

Overview

A MAZE. operates at the intersection of art and gaming cultures, positioning itself among festivals such as IndieCade, Game Developers Conference, and EGX Rezzed. It curates programs that include exhibitions, panels, workshops, and awards, engaging partners ranging from the British Council to the Goethe-Institut. The festival often collaborates with venues including the Haus der Kulturen der Welt and the South African National Gallery, and features work related to creators associated with studios like Thatgamecompany, Playdead, and collectives like Team Lab.

History

Founded by German games curator Thorsten Karrer, A MAZE. emerged during the late-2000s indie resurgence alongside movements around Independent Games Festival and NYU Game Center. Early editions in Berlin and São Paulo aligned with contemporaneous exhibitions at the Barbican Centre and events like Ludicious. Over the 2010s the festival expanded to include satellite editions and partnerships with municipal and cultural bodies such as the European Commission cultural programs and the Prince Claus Fund. Notable milestones include programs featuring artists linked to Rami Ismail's advocacy, collaborations with the Transmediale conference, and platforming work shown at the International Film Festival Rotterdam and the Berlinale.

Gameplay and Mechanics

Although A MAZE. is not a single playable title, the showcased pieces often foreground unconventional mechanics found in works by designers like Jonathan Blow, Johan Vinet, and Die Gute Fabrik. Exhibits have ranged from tangible interfaces inspired by MIT Media Lab research to locally networked games evoking practices seen in titles associated with Anna Anthropy or Eric Zimmerman. Participants present prototypes that explore emergent systems, procedural generation techniques popularized by creators related to ProcJam and Rogue Legacy-style design, and social mechanics akin to projects linked to Ellen McLain-adjacent voice work and collaborative play formats championed by Paolo Pedercini.

Art and Design

A MAZE. emphasizes experimental aesthetics, inviting visual artists and composers associated with institutions like the Royal College of Art, the California Institute of the Arts, and the Bauhaus Archive. Its curatorial selections reflect affinities with the visual language of makers such as Jenova Chen, Kristian Nairn, and studios like Limbo's creators at Playdead; sound and music commissions have involved composers with histories at the Glastonbury Festival and SXSW showcases. Installation designers often have backgrounds connected to the Tate Modern, MoMA PS1, or the V&A, blending physical sculpture, projection mapping, and playable electronics informed by research from the Fraunhofer Society.

Exhibitions and Events

Programming includes flagship exhibitions, touring shows, and competitive segments similar in profile to awards at BAFTA or The Game Awards but with an arts focus parallel to the Prix Ars Electronica. The festival curates themed strands and residencies partnering with organizations like the Stiftung Kunstfonds and municipal cultural offices in cities including Copenhagen, Lisbon, and Tokyo. Events have hosted speakers and panelists from institutions such as the Harvard Graduate School of Design, the University of the Arts London, and cultural NGOs like Amnesty International.

Impact and Reception

Critics and scholars from outlets and institutions including The Guardian, The New York Times, and the New Yorker have noted A MAZE.'s role in legitimizing games as contemporary art in dialogue with exhibitions at the Whitney Museum and the Centre Pompidou. The festival has been praised for diversifying voices in game culture, amplifying creators from regions represented by organizations like AfricAvenir, the Latin American Network of Cultural Managers, and the Asia-Europe Foundation. Commentary often situates A MAZE. alongside initiatives such as Games for Change and Women in Games International for its emphasis on social impact and inclusion.

Legacy and Influence

A MAZE. has influenced curatorial practice, academic programs, and independent publishing by fostering networks between cultural institutions such as the British Museum, Smithsonian Institution, and university programs like MIT and Goldsmiths. Alumni of its exhibitions and award programs have gone on to exhibit at the Venice Biennale, collaborate with media outlets like VICE, and receive grants from funders including the Volkswagen Foundation and the National Endowment for the Arts. The festival's approach continues to shape discourse at events like Gamescom, PAX, and the Sydney Film Festival, reinforcing the place of interactive media within the contemporary arts ecosystem.

Category:Video game festivals