Game Lab Artistic and Research Center

MISSION

“We live in a world of simulation where the highest function of the sign is to erase reality and at the same time conceal its disappearance.” Jean Baudrillard
Is the only function of art now to camouflage our own death, or, on the contrary, will art allow us to liberate ourselves from being simulacra? These are some of the questions we seek answers to when designing and researching virtual environments for various purposes. We are looking for the limits of the possibilities of audiovisual communication, flat images, animation and virtual spaces, using 3D, AR and VR technologies, holography, as well as other original forms. Our experimental activities and artistic and research projects balance at the intersection of art, science, digital and traditional technologies. We combine practical, artistic and technical competences, modern digital technologies with humanistic reflection on interaction, narrative, identity and perception. We cooperate with the best academic centers from Europe, Asia and America, as well as cultural institutions, non-governmental organizations and the broadly understood creative industry.
If you want to exceed the current boundaries of cognition, are interested in humanistic reflection on interaction, narrative, identity and perception in the context of digital culture, its secrets, as well as popularization of knowledge in this field – join our team. We are looking for people open to innovative experiences of the world – artists and scientists representing the fields of art, as well as the humanities, social sciences, medical and health sciences, engineering and technology, and exact and natural sciences. Become a member of the team creating a new reality in the areas of art and science.

HISTORY

The Game Lab art and research center was created as a continuation of the project entitled “GAME LAB – International Laboratory for Game Studies and Design”. The project was co-financed by the National Agency for Academic Exchange (NAWA) and was implemented in 2019-2022.
Students, PhD students, artists and scientists representing seven universities were involved in its implementation: University of Silesia in Katowice (project leader), School of Art of Northern Illinois University (United States), Harz University of Applied Sciences (Germany), University of Ostrava (Czech Republic). ), LUCA School of Arts (Belgium), Tokyo University of Technology (Japan) and Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla (Mexico). Together, we created an international laboratory, one of the goals of which was to exchange good teaching practices in the field of video game design and audiovisual artistic activity.
The axis of the project was the „International Game Lab Challenge” – international workshops for students working in teams under the supervision of fourteen excellent mentors from all partner universities. Each team was given one task: to design a game – including story, mechanics, sound, graphics and music. It is one of the most dynamically developing and unique fields of artistic and academic activity.
The second extremely important pillar of the Game Lab project was the presentation of the artistic audiovisual activities of artists – educators from partner universities, presented at several exhibitions in the Czech Republic, Mexico and Poland and in the NAWA ART virtual gallery.
www.gamelab.us.edu.pl.