Nikolaj, Copenhagen Contemporary Art Center, is an art institution dedicated to the most recent contemporary art. Located in the heart of Copenhagen, we invite everybody to come and have a look at new, surprising and critical exhibitions, to have a good experience and to get some food for thought.

Current events:

Spilbar 8.0: It's Real, Thursday January 26, 5pm-7pm

We have asked a bunch of artists and game developers from The Netherlands and Denmark to share their perfect gaming moment – either one they have already experienced or one they imagine to experience in the future. The style is 'Pecha Kucha' or microtalk where each speaker gets 20 x 20 seconds (and 20 slides) to present.

Program:
17: Welcome
17.05: My favorite gaming moment. Talks by Bojan Endrovski (Game Oven Studios, Fingle), Marieke Verbiesen (artist), Nils Deneken (Die Gute Fabrik), Sřren Lundgaard (DADIU), Christian Fonnesbech (Transmedia expert), and Rami Ismail and Jan Willen Nijman (Vlambeer).
18.00: Break
18.30: Debate – chaired by Thomas Vigild, Games editor at Politiken
19.00 Mingling with beer – sponsored by the Dutch Embassy

Dutch New Media Production, Saturday January 28, 2pm-4pm

Two of the artists on the current exhibition Space Invaders will be giving a talk about current Dutch initiatives in the arts and new technologies. Marieke Verbiesen tells about the Dutch Ministry of Culture's groundbreaking Game Fund, which for years has supported projects on the border between art and computer games. Walter Langelaar will be giving a talk on WORM in Rotterdam, which from a DIY philosophy and open source mindset produces installations, videos, performances, concerts, workshops, web projects, etc.

For more information www.gamefonds.nl og www.worm.org

CURRENT EXHIBITION

SPACE INVADERS

November 11 2011 - January 29 2012

Come and play along when Nikolaj, Copenhagen Contemporary Art Center, opens its new interactive exhibition about computer games and contemporary art

Computer games have changed markedly since Space Invaders was something which was played in arcades, and Pac-Man moved about in a primitive labyrinth on a Commodore 64 screen. Today, computer games are creating ever more life-like simulations of reality in which the main character moves about and acts in settings that seem, yes, realistic. Game characters are based on real actors' movements, and players can create their own digital worlds. Many computer games have taken the step further from the flat screen and in to our physical surroundings, as witnessed by SingStar and Guitar Heroes, in which the player interacts in the physical space with effects such as a guitar or a tennis racket.

Space Invaders is an interactive group exhibition, bringing together works of art and innovative computer games and exploring the blurred line between virtual and real space.

The exhibition offers rich opportunities for guests to test both games and works. It presents works of art that employ computer game techniques, effects and aesthetics in new ways, as well as commercial and experimental computer games, breaking down barriers and creating new developments of space and interactions. Michael Johansson's Tetris-works invade doors and tower windows of the Nikolaj Art Center; blood is dripping on the floor in front in Riley Harmon's "What It Is Without the Hand That Wields It" when somebody dies in Counter Strike; and a dark, sensory world opens itself to the spectator in video art pioneer Bill Viola's new game. Try current games as well as classics such as Space Invaders and Tetris with a twist.

Among the participating artists and game developers are:

Jeremy Bailey, Pippin Barr, Aram Bartholl, Troels Hugo Cederholm/DADIU, Will Crowther & Don Woods, Die Gute Fabrik, Mark Essen, Harun Farocki, Cao Fei, Sřren Thilo Funder, Riley Harmon, Timothy Hutchings, Michael Johansson, David Kraftsow, Walter Langelaar, Ludic Society, Media Molecule, Nauhgty Dog, Julian Oliver, Guillaume Reymond, Rockstar Games, Taito, Jacob Tćkker, Valve Software, Marieke Verbiesen, Bill Viola og USC Game Innovation Lab.

The exhibition has been produced in collaboration with FACT (Foundation for Art and Creative Technology) in Liverpool and Netherlands Media Art Institute in Amsterdam.

Tues.-Sun. 12-17, Thur. 12-21, Mon closed. Adults 20 kr., children u. 14 years free. Wed. free admission.