Revolution in the Bedroom, War in the Playground
Through a collaboration with artists, designers, film-makers and academics, Revolution in the Bedroom celebrates for the first time the rise of the British video games industry in a museum setting. The exhibition focuses on the bedroom programming years during the 1980s which is a pinpoint for digital revolution. Displays will be consecrated to the early home gaming consoles such as Sinclair ZX81, ZXSpectrum, Commodore 64, BBC micro and the Amstrad.
Complementing the hardwares displayed, there will be arcade games, video game titles, manuals, user guides and popular fanzines. Even iconic British video games will be profiled throughout the exhibition.
Anthony and Nicola Caulfield’s newly commissioned film as well as artwork from Oliver Frey, product design by Rick Dickson and an entirely new commission from Simon Patterson will be shown alongside never-before seen footage.
Nicola and Anthony Caulfield
Nicola and Anthony Caulfield wrote, produced and directed several documentaries that were both used for broadcasting and commercial release such as “Doctor Who- Stripped for Action” for the BBC and “George Michael- FAITH”. Their interest then shifted to a more music related universe, where they worked with important music names including Pink Floyd for a theatrical version of their Pulse album and rock guitarist Brian May. After completing the official Sonic the Hedgehog 20th Anniversary documentary, they will now be screening their new feature film “Bedrooms to Billions,” a remarkable story of the British video games industry.
Oliver Frey
Internationally renowned Swiss-born illustrator with more than 35 years’ experience, Oliver Frey has worked on many comic strips, including the ‘Trigan Empire’, ‘Dan Dare’ and for ‘Speed & Power’, as well as numerous colour illustrations for Oxford University Press and many others. His prolific output of cover and interior art for leading video games magazines of the 80s and 90s, CRASH and ZZAP!64, achieved a cult status among collectors.
Simon Patterson
Graduate from Hertfordshire College of Art and Design and Goldsmiths College, internationally known artist Simon Patterson was shortlisted for the Turner Prize and his work has been shown in many places. His most well-known work, The Great Bear, an edited print changing all the London tubes station to renowned people such as Humphrey Bogart, Raphael or even Plato, has been touring in various places including London, Berlin and New York. An edition is also still available at the Tate Britain.
Revolution in the Bedroom will be showing at the National Centre for Craft and Design from 19 Oct- 5 Jan 2014.
