ReverseForward
About the Project

ReverseForward is a GameLab that brings diverse people, skill sets, and perspectives together to discuss and critique the role of colonialism and its impact on contemporary societies, from their perspectives as artists, museum professionals, historians, gamers, designers, coders, etc.

The focus of the lab centres on the South Asian perspective and aims to reflect on the various processes of nation-building, offering perspectives on sovereignty, freedom, and equality. At the same time, the lab catalyses conversations between South Asia and Europe, particularly Germany.

The conversation around colonial pasts has largely remained confined to academia and circles of history writing. The ReverseForward GameLab intends to connect historical perspectives with other practitioners in multiple fields to expand the debate and offer alternative entry points in the larger debate around colonialism. The partners involved are the pivot of networking for a long-term partnership.

ReverseForward is a process-based lab involving people over a period of 6 months leading to a 5-day hybrid festival in New Delhi in May 2023 consisting of several talks, performances, readings, panel discussions and round tables leading up to a hackathon and a final Townhall open to the public.

The 5-day festival will have various components leading to a hackathon that encourages interdisciplinary exchange and production of game ideas that could reach minimum viable prototypes. The game scratches produced will open the discursive realm to play, a discussion of building habit and understanding. This event would hold the possibility of forging connections and building long-term relationships between participants especially students and extending a critical view on colonialism and potential strategies of de-colonialism.

The 5-day lab is designed to include several roundtables, discussions, a hackathon, playtime, performances, walks, etc that can make further inquiries into the nature of coloniality and the potential of games to be able to enter its psyche.

The project tries to overcome colonial continuities and wants to initiate and deepen partnerships on equal terms. The GameLab is anchored by Vera Marušić (Rautenstrauch-Joest Museum Cologne), Laxmi Khanolkar (Apar Games), Amarnath Praful (Image maker, writer, teacher), Thomas Lilge (GameLab Berlin), and Avni Sethi (Conflictorium / Museum of Conflict).