A MAZE. Interact 2012 is the first international Games & Media Art Festival to be held in Johannesburg, and plans to take over spaces across the city centre from Tuesday, 28th August until Sunday, 2nd September.

The goal of the A MAZE. Interact Festival in Johannesburg is to create an evolving platform for African and European media artists and game developers. The festival “creates/opens up a playground for everyone who wants to experience the Human-Human-Machine interaction.”

A MAZE. Interact provides a six day program with lectures, panels, screenings, arcade, interactive installations, street games, workshops, concerts, performances, and parties.

With over 38 international and local artists, speakers, and musicians showcasing their craft, the festival aims to bring games, music, movies, and art to the public in a dynamic, interactive and fun-filled 6-day event.

The founder of A MAZE. and festival director Thorsten S. Wiedemann said “Johannesburg has this electrified inspiring energy in the air I experienced 15 years ago when I first came to Berlin. There are somehow touch-points between the two metropolises, which I want to work out together with local and international artists and create an imaginary bridge to connect both spots. I wish that we bring together a wide range of technology enthusiasts, games and art interested people to participate in the festival program, discuss local issues and foster future collaborations.”

Music

Included in the program is the Jump’N Run Party, a club night with both African and European programs including DJs, live acts, performances, playful visuals, and interactive installations.

Electronic musicians included in the festival’s musical line-up include:

• By Haruo – Japan
• Joao Orecchia – JHB
• Meneo (Jose Roberto Prez Samayoa) – Guatamala
• Ootz Aka Otsile Ramarumo – JHB
• Tim Groeneboom (Aka Wiij Timski) – Holland
• Blkjks Soundsystem – JHB

Lectures & Panels

Focusing on the convergence of media art and games, a symposium provides the opportunity to present projects as well as to discuss and reflect upon games in the context of media theory. The topics include:

• Coded cultures
• Computer games as a medium for software education
• How to create lush worlds with a few lines of code and Photoshop
• Making magic at the digital edge
• Miscommunication technology
• A youth multi-disciplinary dialogue on migration

Exhibitions

The exhibition spaces will show artistic computer games, interactive and playful installations and video documentations of public intervention.

Some of the speakers, digital and traditional medium artists include:

• Andrej Boleslavský – Prague – Interaction Designer And New Media Artist
• Anthea Buys – Cape Town – Modern Art And Architectural Lecturer
• Bradley Marques – JHB – Software Development, Digital Arts, Animation, Game Design
• Christo Doherty – JHB – Digital Media Theorist, Artist, And Photographer
• Danny Day – JHB – Game Development
• Dario Hardmeier – Switzerland – Game Designer And Programmer
• Dmytri Kleiner – Canada – Social Relationships In Multi-Media
• Donna Kukama – JHB – Performance, Video, Text, And Sound Installations
• Eduardo Cachucho – JHB – Performance, Print, Video, Sculpture And Publications
• Emeka Ogboh – Nigeria – Video And Sounds And Employs Field Recordings To Explore The History And Aural
• Evan Greenwood – JHB – Game Developer
• Georg Russegger – Vienna – Curator, Media-Integrated Knowledge-Cultures
• Hanli Geyser- JHB – Lecturer, Game Design
• Herman Pienaar – JHB – Game Developer
• Invisible Playground – Berlin – A Collective Of Game Designers, Artists, Theater Makers, Musicians And Academics.
• Jenna Burchell – Pretoria – Interactive Installations
• Julian Oliver – Berlin – Game-Developer And Lecturer
• Jussi Ängelslevä – Finland – Artist And Lecturer
• Kim Gurney – JHB – Visual Artist, Academic Researcher And Journalist
• Markus Huber – Berlin – Program Coordinator, Lecturer, Curator
• Mitch Said – Chicago – Mobile And Tablet Design Lecturer
• Pippa Tshabalala – JHB – Comic Book And Game Inspired Artist
• Prophet – JHB – Curator, Poet, Writer Performer
• Rangoato Hlasane – JHB – Visual Artist, Illustrator, Dj
• Sipho Charles Gwala – JHB – Digital Art
• Tim Groeneboom (Aka Wiij Timski) – Holland – Dj, Digital Performer

Links

Full program available at: www.amaze-interact.co.za.
For further information about A MAZE.: amaze-festival.de
FB: www.facebook.com/amaze.festival
Twitter: @A_MAZE_FESTIV

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