Is called Relooted And it is the new project of South African Nyamakop studya title that leads the players to reflect on an uncomfortable but current theme: thecolonial appropriation of works of art. It is not a mystery that Many masterpieces kept in western museums come from spoliations and looting occurred during the colonial period, especially in Africa.
90% of the cultural heritage of sub-Saharan Africa is in fact in possession of western collections. An impressive fact, which photographs an expropriation not only material, but also identity. Thousands of cultural, spiritual and even human remains artifacts They find themselves far from their place of origin, depriving entire communities of a fundamental part of their history.
To transform this complaint into interactive experience, Nyamakop has chosen an Afrofuturist aesthetic. In Relootedthe protagonists are modern heroes in charge of “Reallocate” African artifacts exhibited in large western museums and bring them home. Each level is divided into three phases: reconnaissance, Escape planning And recovery of the work. A path reminiscent of stealth and adventure games, but with a strong symbolic value.
A video game as a tool for reflection
The creative director Ben Myres He explained that the selection of objects was one of the main challenges since the artifacts to be included were too many. For this reason they worked for two years with two researchers. Each mission completed therefore also becomes an educational moment: the player receives one information sheet with the history of the piece, its meaning and the cultural context of the country of origin.
Relooted is therefore not limited to entertaining, but intends to open a wider discussion on how many western museum collections were born And on how unresolved still of the colonial past it remains. A bit’ Black Panthera bit’ Carmen Sandiegothis title shows how videogame language can become a vehicle for historical awareness And stimulate a cultural debate that often remains on the margins.
