Danielle Brathwaite-Shirley's exhibition *The Delusion* opens today at Serpentine North in London, running until 18 January 2026. The Berlin-based artist and video game designer presents a series of multiplayer video games that challenge players to confront ethical, political, and moral choices. Games like *The Unifier* require collaborative problem-solving while prompting reflection on censorship, and *The Validators* transforms an arcade shooter into a contemplative experience addressing censorship, dehumanisation, and hope. The exhibition was developed with a team of artists, researchers, technologists, and members of Brathwaite-Shirley's Black trans and queer community, and builds on the artist's ongoing work archiving Black trans histories.
The exhibition matters because it arrives at a moment of heightened geopolitical tension, with rising populism in Europe and US policies curtailing diversity initiatives. Brathwaite-Shirley's work directly engages with the feeling that open discussion is becoming risky, using video games as a medium for communal reflection rather than escapism. By positioning video games as art on par with historical masterpieces, the show also underscores the growing crossover between gaming and the visual arts, while Serpentine Arts Technologies highlights how institutions can embrace interactive, participatory formats to address urgent social issues.