FREEPLAY! Richmond's Pixel-Perfect Video Game Exhibit

Game on, Richmond! Let us introduce you to FREEPLAY!, RVA's groundbreaking queer interactive video games exhibit housed at the Iridian Gallery. As the only LGBTQ-focused fine arts gallery in the American South, Iridian aligns seamlessly with FREEPLAY!'s mission and has artist-centric practices, making it an ideal venue for the exhibit.

Hold onto your joysticks, this isn’t your typical gallery show. FREEPLAY! invites you to dive headfirst into the nine games in their exhibit, with interactive elements like the giant gay Gameboy and a colossal Tamagotchi (TamaGirl), and conversation-driving game titles such as Fishin' For A Caucasian Boyfriend. The interactive display aims to make gaming a communal experience, inviting visitors to immerse themselves in the games and share the experience with others.

Organized and curated by the visionary MeeNa Ko, FREEPLAY! is a celebration of diverse voices in the LGBTQIA community, pushing boundaries in both the gaming and art spheres. The mission of this one-of-a-kind exhibit is to provide a platform for underrepresented queer game developers. FREEPLAY! serves as a launchpad for queer creativity, providing resources, support, and a platform to showcase art that's as bold and unapologetically queer as it gets. FREEPLAY! aims to impact the LGBTQ community by providing artists with the tools to share their work and hopes for its success to encourage more artist-centric exhibition practices. 

The games featured at FREEPLAY! were carefully selected from various game development communities, reflecting both local Richmond artists and unique voices from the broader internet. The selection criteria focused on games and developers that are unapologetically and overtly queer, intending to showcase non-commercial and unconventional creations. FREEPLAY! envisions the intersection of games, galleries, and queer culture as a space for creative dialogue– challenging definitions of both art and games. 

The exhibit's audience consists of both gamers unfamiliar with fine arts and fine artists new to video games, fostering generative conversations. Support for the show has come from across the Richmond community and the internet. In a banner opening week, FREEPLAY! garnered attention with a Kickstarter campaign that surpassed its initial goal, earning the coveted title of "Project We Love." 

Don't let the FREEPLAY! fun end without catching a glimpse of this extraordinary exhibit before it bids farewell at the end of February. So, what are you waiting for? Let the games—and the fun—begin!

For more information on visiting and supporting this exhibit, click HERE.