Ultra Club: Game Day is an opportunity to explore the video game not only as entertainment, but as a critical, political and creative space. Through interactive simulations, live performances, workshops, talks and showcases, the audience is invited to immerse themselves in universes that reflect on the transformations of labour, social dynamics and the aesthetics of the present. The event brings together artists, collectives, researchers and independent realities, creating an ecosystem in which experimentation and participation become central.
Delivery Dancer Simulation – Ayoung Kim
Game simulation – duration: approx. 12 min
An interactive experience that transports the audience into a futuristic and labyrinthine version of Seoul, where one takes on the role of a rider in the gig economy. Through an immersive simulation, the work reflects on the precarious conditions of contemporary labour, the gamification of capitalism and the difficulty of empathising with the invisible dynamics that govern these systems.
Delivery Dancer’s Sphere – Ayoung Kim
Screening – duration: approx. 25 min
A film that expands the narrative universe of the simulation, constructing a dystopian Seoul governed by algorithms and optimisation logics. Through parallel realities, temporal loops and multiple identities, the work investigates themes such as algorithmic labour, hyper-surveillance and the possible relationships in alternative worlds.
Red Redemption – Total Refusal
Live performance
A tour inside the video game Red Dead Redemption 2, analysing class relations and the economic mechanisms of capitalism through NPCs and digital environments. The performance transforms the video game into an instrument of social critique, revealing the invisible structures that govern the world.
World at Stake – Total Refusal
A film shot entirely within sports video games, which subverts the logics of competition and performance. Through absurd situations and suspended scenarios, the work reflects on contemporary political impotence, the role of the spectator and the collapse of traditional dynamics between action and observation.
Modding Workshop – 2girls1comp
A hands-on workshop dedicated to modding — that is, the modification of video games as an artistic and critical practice. The duo will explore how to intervene in game codes and mechanics to create new narratives and performative happenings, shedding light on the social and economic implications of the video game industry.
Talk with Matteo Lupetti, Federica di Pietrantonio and Daniela Cotimbo
A moment of discussion and in-depth exploration with artists, curators and industry professionals, including Matteo Lupetti, Federica Di Pietrantonio and Daniela Cotimbo. The talk will offer a critical perspective on contemporary practices that traverse the relationship between art, video games and society.
Parcours and Showcase – Galleria delle Vasche open
An exhibition and performance space dedicated to the world of independent video games. The parcours hosts showcases, live sessions and project presentations, offering the audience the opportunity to explore new productions and emerging languages. Among the protagonists, students from the Accademia Italiana Videogiochi (AIV), who will present their work in a professional setting open to dialogue.