Skillshot: The Collaborative Art of Pinball
September 6 - November 5, 2016
Opening reception and catalog release party: September 23, 6-9 p.m.
Skillshot: The Collaborative Art of Pinball presents pinball machines as interactive artworks that are created through a collaborative process involving many skilled artisans such as designers, sculptors and engineers. Chicago is the birthplace and world headquarters of pinball, making Columbia College, in the heart of the city, an exciting place to debut the first-ever exhibition to explore the complicated collaborations inherent in creating pinball machines. Skillshot intends to capture the spirit and momentum of this dynamic art movement by highlighting the accomplishments of both industry professionals and enthusiasts. The exhibit features pinball machines, documentary videos, zines as well as original pre-production illustrations and sketches by iconic pinball designers and illustrators. This exhibition is held in conjunction with GAME ART VS. ART GAME held at The Arcade.
Participating artists include:
Suzanne Ciani, Jon Chad, Ryan Claytor, Ethan M. D’Ercole, Dirty Donny, Angela Drokba (The Trophy Witch), Rosemarie Fiore, Greg Freres, Margaret Hudson, Gene X Hwang, Rob Karlic, Alec Longstreth, Kevin O’ Connor, Steve Ritchie, Mark Sheridan, Doug Watson, Stern Pinball Inc, 12 for 12 and re-theme resident artists Erik Lundquist and JJ McLuckie.
Skillshot would not have been possible without generous support from Stern Pinball Inc., The Elizabeth Firestone Graham Foundation, Greg Freres, Doug Watson, Tanio Klyce, Drop Target Zine and Von Lintel Gallery.
The Game About Diversity
October 6, 4-6 p.m.
Conaway Center, 1104 S Wabash Ave, 1st Floor
This panel is a cross conversation between our current exhibitions GAME ART VS. ART GAME and Skillshot: The Collaborative Art of Pinball as we explore how pinball and gaming leagues navigate diversity within its players, along with possible solutions to bringing together players of different communities. This panel is moderated by Echa Schneider, founder of the first women’s pinball league Belles and Chimes, and includes Keisha Howard, founder of the female gamer's community Sugar Gamers, Jamie Sanchez, co-founder of Voxelles, a gaming league focused on fostering gender diversity in the gaming industry, Brice Puls, Exhibitions Manager of The Video Game Art Gallery, Amanda Hamrick, Columbia College Chicago student and Interactive Arts and Media major, and Whitney Pow, Ph.D. student in Screen Cultures at Northwestern University.
Game Night
October 21, 6-9 p.m.
Held in Conjunction with Columbia Weekend’s Wabash Arts Corridor (WAC) Crawl
Glass Curtain Gallery and The Arcade
Organized by The International Flipper Pinball Association, Gaming Night for Skillshot will include a tournament/fundraiser for Project Pinball, a charity organization that places pinball machines in children’s hospitals, in the Glass Curtain Gallery. Simultaneously in The Arcade, VGA Gallery will also host an evening of game play with GAME ART VS. ART GAME curators.
For more information: Mark Porter, mporter@colum.edu/312-369-6643
Gallery Hours
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday 9am - 5pm, Thursday 9am - 7pm, Saturday 12pm - 5pm
